Our telecoms provider is investigating an issue currently with our and our customers phone services. They are aware of the issue and will update us when there is a resolution. If you need support please email us at servicedesk@bowe.co.uk
Update: Service is now back.
Fraud is the most commonly experienced crime in the UK which costs the UK many billions of pounds every year. The impact of fraud and related crime can be devastating for businesses, but today we will let you know about the most common fraud and scams we see so you can avoid them much easier.
We will talk about phishing a lot below so to start we will define what phishing is.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails or other messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers or other valuable information.
Lets take a look at the top scams affecting companies below.
Change of bank details scam
This scam can start out by either your own account being phished or a supplier / customer of yours being phished which gives the scammer visibility into your email conversations.
Scammers can use phishing emails to pilfer login information and if the recipient falls for it, that can give the scammer a way in to monitor your emails by taking control of a user account. Once they do that, they may watch for an invoice being received or sent. Then they will spoof the email address of the sending company and create an identical invoice but with the scammers “new bank details” on it.
If you receive any change of bank details or you are paying an account for the first time, always telephone your customer / supplier using the telephone number you have for them and not the telephone number on the email to double check and confirm the bank details with them. This will prevent you from paying an opportunist scammer who has recently intercepted and changed bank details and other information. It only takes a few minutes but it can save you thousands of pounds!
Unpaid Invoice / Confirm bank details scam
It’s quite common to get an email supposedly from Paypal or other financial institutions to say there is a problem with your account and you risk your account being closed. A typical good example of this is an amazon or netflix email saying they will close your account if you don’t confirm your bank details. If you ever get this type of email and struggle to tell if its real, just close the email and go to the website manually via your browser. Never click links on these type of emails as it will likely take you to the fraudulent website which looks identical to the official website.
Gift card scam
We saw lots of this scam on the internet at Christmas. It is especially prevalent at that time of year as it makes it easier for scammers to execute. The scam basically starts with someone imitating a CEO or Managing Director on services like WhatsApp and they send a message to one of the employees who have their phone number on the company website. The scammer will start up a conversation asking the employee to go to the shop and buy some popular gift cards like Google Play or Apple gift cards to give to the employees as presents for all their hard work. The scammer will then make an excuse and ask the codes to be emailed to him/her as they would not be around to collect them. Once the scammer has the codes they can sell them online in exchange for real cash.
Social engineering scams
Employees should always be wary when taking calls and never assume the person on the end of the phone is who they say they are unless of course they have spoken to them previously and know them.
Scammers can trick staff into handing over confidential or sensitive information, such as passwords or bank information. It often starts with a phishing email, social media contact, or a phone call that seems to come from a trusted source, such as a supervisor or other senior employee, but creates urgency or fear. Scammers may ask employees to send money or provide access to sensitive company information. Other emails may look like routine password update requests or other automated messages but are actually attempts to steal information. Scammers also can use malware to lock organizations’ files and hold them for ransom.
Remember: If you get a random call or email from ourselves and you don’t recognise the support technician give us a call from the number on our website and we will be able to confirm or deny whose calling.
General issues to be aware of
There is a lot of spam emails going around that ask you to login to your email account and they might have a Login button. Never use those emails to login to your email account. Always use the official website or app that you’ve always previously used. Always be wary of clicking links in an email.
The common theme that runs through the scams above involve “social engineering” which is basically convincing someone that you are someone you’re not. If a scammer can convince you that they are someone else or some other official company then they don’t need any special hacking skills at that point as they may receive the information they need off you / your business / your employees.
Best way to prevent scams?
Become alert to any change of payment information, any request for information which sounds strange, or any request which is out of the ordinary especially those which are time critical. Don’t click links in emails that you were not expecting, and get a second opinion from your IT company or IT representative at your company. Check the from address on the email to make sure its exactly the correct email address if it comes from someone you may know. E.g. If you receive an email from joe.bloggs@examplecompany.com and then you get an email from joeblogs.examplecompany@gmail.com requesting a change of bank details or something then you can be sure there’s something fishy going on!
If you need us to check any messages or would like any further advice or consultancy on this please get in touch.
What does downtime really mean & what does it cost your business?
We asked this to the attendees of our recent webinar all focused on cyber-attacks, the associated downtime and the actual financial impact on a business.
Datto are our software partner in disaster recovery, and we were delighted to team up with them for this event.
Lorraine, our operations director opened the session with some key questions about cyber security and put our guest’s knowledge to the test. Following that, Adam from Datto took us through the definition of disaster recovery and business continuity and what is involved in having the right plan in place. He explained about ransomware attacks and how they infiltrate a business.
Our guests then saw a live ransomware attack in action and how easy it gets into a system and the extent of the damage it can do.
This specific attack was connected to someone receiving an email from what they thought was a legitimate source. Adam then demonstrated how quickly data can be back up and running when Datto is in place – it was less than 4 minutes!
A real showstopper in this event was the presentation of a downtime calculator. This gives a business owner the opportunity to clearly see the cost of downtime in real terms. We then looked at recovery point and recovery time objectives. It was evident that these factors are often either overlooked or simply not considered by many business owners, which is a worrying thought.
We asked our attendees if they were a victim of a ransomware attack, could they just turn their business back on? This is a key question that business owners need to be addressing regularly and to understand that attacks like ransomware are not just affecting the larger companies, this kind of attack is happening in small to medium sized businesses.
During the session we saw that if an attack took place there is usually a time lapse before the organisation realises that the attack has happened. It can then take days to restore data, how quickly could you get back to that point in time, and not have lost information?
This may seem a conundrum to many business owners but quite simply it is easily solved. If the right backup procedures are in place, and for that you need more than just a localised back up in the office each night!
Adam summarised by saying;
- Train your users in being cyber aware;
- Ensure there are multiple layers of security
- Ensure you have a business continuity solution
By 2022, 70% of businesses will have suffered a business disruption due to unrecoverable data loss in a cloud-based application.
The biggest threat to your system is human error so it is essential to mitigate against this. Which is why training is such a major part of your business continuity programme.
Having a system like Datto in place means your business can deal with interruptions and avoid downtime. We all know time is money so get in touch and have a look at what a difference Datto can make.
If you did not get the chance to come along but would like more information or a free demo give us a call on 0191 214 1750 or click here and download your own downtime calculator.
The cost of getting the right solutions and policies, far out ways the cost in downtime. Check out the calculator for yourself and see how it affects you and your business!
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask – contact us here
IT’s time for our 12 days of Christmas & there is a chance for you to win some Gin!
We don’t know about you, but we can’t believe we are in December and here we are focusing on Christmas!
Are you feeling festive and ready for 25th?
Already our team are thinking which is their favourite Christmas song and what will be their choice of tipple on Christmas Day! On that note, we are super excited to share news of our 12 days of Christmas with you, especially as there is a chance to be a winner!
Each day we will be offering an IT hint or tip. We suppose this could be classed as your stocking fillers from Bowe! As its Christmas, we couldn’t resist to add in a little festive fun tip too.
We will be sharing these across our social media from 7th December and then each weekday until 22nd.
However, we need your help! To make our days complete we need one more hint or tip and that’s where you come in.
We would like to invite you to submit a suggestion and then we will pick one out and use it in our campaign. The winner gets a bottle of Bowetastic – Newcastle Gin – woo hoo!
It is also worth remembering that we give a bottle of Gin to anyone who recommends a friend to us so take a peep at our website for more details on that too.
You could say we are Gin-Happy this Christmas, and we want to share that with you ?
To enter our competition, simply email your hints and tips suggestions to enquiries@bowe.co.uk
https://www.bowe.co.uk/recommend-a-friend/
Good Luck.
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the People’s kitchen in Newcastle City Centre and talked to a couple of its generous volunteers, socially distanced of course.
The People’s kitchen was founded back in 1985 by a then 70 year old Alison Kay who was so affected by hearing of the death of a homeless man she set up what was later to become People’s kitchen. Originally set up near the railway arches on Dean street, Alison and her volunteers offered food, clothing, and a warm welcome to anyone who needed it.
Alison was supported throughout by a team of generous volunteers and sponsors. In 1997 she was given an honorary degree by Newcastle University. In 2001 Alison passed away aged 91 years but the People’s kitchen continues her work providing friendship and food to anyone who need support.
The People’s kitchen provides food, support, and clothing to not just homeless people but anyone who needs their support. They provide up to 150 hot meals every evening cooked from scratch Monday to Friday and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. As with most businesses in recent months they have had to change how they offer meals to a takeaway service, still supporting those who need it. They have provided friends with wellbeing packs, clothes and food and made welfare calls to stop people feeling isolated.
As with any charity they need support especially with tinned meats, tinned vegetables, cooking sauces (not soup or beans at the minute), check out their website for an up to date list of what they need.
Like lots of businesses we wanted to do something to support a local charity. The whole team got involved and donated money and we went and stocked up on a trolley full of food from the list on their website.
The Peoples kitchen are now gearing up for Christmas and they have just launched the ‘Feed a friend for a fiver’ campaign. This means that friends who need it can enjoy their dinner too, in good company and not feel isolated.
If you would also like to support the charity click on here to find out more.
Lorraine
What better way to continue our support for our region in the form of our location feature than to highlight a truly unique experience located in the heart of Northumberland.
Kielder Observatory is an incredible facility situated in the Kielder Forest within the largest gold tier Dark Sky Park in Europe. Due to the vast rural areas in the UK being in Northumberland, this gives the area the benefit of some the darkest skies in the Country. This stunning attraction plays such a key role in so many aspects of life and in particular a major role in education of science and astronomy. The main objective of the observatory is to bring as many groups from society together to engage and discuss observations of the universe.
It is incredible to think we have this type of opportunity in our region where people can experience virtual tours, get involved in activities and listen to inspirational talks. So, whether you want to learn more or simply enjoy the observatory this is a complete “must do” when visiting Northumberland.
Whilst the skies at night are the prime time to really capture the full scope of the facility, you can also admire the wonderful panoramic views during the day. The facility itself is closed during the day but the spectacular views still attract many walking visitors. Events are run in the evenings and advance booking is highly recommended. In December 2013, Northumberland International Dark Sky Park was awarded International Dark Sky Park status from the IDSA (International Dark Sky Association) and the observatory was a key part of that campaign. There is a team of highly experienced astronomers who supervise as guests can operate the range of telescopes available. In addition, there are a group of volunteers who provide excellent support to the full-time team. The observatory is operated by Kielder Observatory Astronomical Society.
There was a survey in 2018 into Dark Sky Tourism- see PDF below.
We certainly love anything techy and with Kielder being all about space and discovery this is a very popular feature with our team!
For more details on the events being held at the observatory, follow this link
https://kielderobservatory.org/our-events
As an IT business our eye has always been on both elements as in many respects, they are equal in importance to a business. However, in modern terms, what do they actually mean and what role do they play in your day to day operations.
We consider it essential to talk about this whole subject in a new way given events over recent months, where businesses have had to respond to a massive change in working practices leading companies to look again at the safety of their data and company information whilst remaining operational.
In this blog we look to clarify how and why a business needs to look at the subject of BCDR (Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery)
How do you define Business Continuity?
Our clear approach to this is more about company structure and working practices. A business needs a clear set of policies and procedures so that when an event occurs, the team know what to do, how and when. It is vital that they can remain working in a way that enables communication and collaboration with their team.
- Ensure there is a reliable remote access for the team
- Ensure team members can file share
- Ensure the “on site” infrastructure can be achieved
An example of us being involved here would be to ensure you are working with Microsoft Teams which gives you total flexibility and means that anywhere, anytime saying really can apply. This forms part of a business’s strategy in Business Continuity. We work closely with many clients on their continuity plan and ensure their IT infrastructure is set up to respond to change.
How do you define Disaster Recovery?
We believe that disaster recovery is part of Business Continuity and is one of the actions that needs to be carried out to recover data should an interruption or event take place. Many businesses still operate without a back-up plan in place which is a shocking statistic given the level of security threat posed to businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. A business needs to get software installed and have a person identified as responsible for ensuring that the correct procedures are followed to ensure safe retrieval of data.
An example of how we can support here would be to install Datto on all your devices. This is a top end solution and can back up all your data including a version specifically for Microsoft 365. We have a range of solutions available that can all form part of your overall Business Continuity Plan.
Our advice is to ensure you have a plan and have clear communication in your organisation.
For any questions about putting together a business continuity plan, contact our team today on 0191 214 1750.
Datto Cloud Backup
Locate IT- Northumberland Coast
Our location feature is back, and we are super happy to be back exploring our amazing region. This is also such a topical point right now with UK holidays being high on the priority list for many – are you considering a staycation?
Travel may be a tricky subject in some ways but we believe that with one of the UK’s most outstanding coastlines our doorstep, Northumberland is the perfect place to enjoy, relax and spend time away with family for that all important break!
Now more than ever it is important to do all we can to support our own economy. Tourism in the North East is a major part of our business structure and with the space and scope that Northumberland offers, there is a fantastic opportunity to really support those businesses in the sector.
Recognised as an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) Northumberland boasts 40 miles (64KM) of coastline that simply takes your breath away.
If you are a beach lover and that is a major factor for you when looking to go abroad – well, look no further than Northumberland – with over 30 beaches to choose from the area provides endless choices for you to find the right beach for you. The extent of seaside towns and range of places to eat really do give you that holiday feel.
The history, landscapes, landmarks, wildlife and just the whole vibe of the area makes it a top UK destination and we live and work here!
Let’s celebrate this amazing part of our region – take a look at this link with a video showing you just why staying in the UK is awesome!
https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/coast/beaches
We are passionate about being Microsoft 365 partners and that includes helping you get the most from this software. 
Training and support are very important aspects of our business and we aim to provide that with all the software solutions we deliver.
Recent weeks have shown how important being able to work remotely and communicate with others online has been. Microsoft 365 has been at the heart of Buff.
We want to share our expertise with you and help you improve this in your business. We are holding a free webinar all about 365 and will be offering hints and tips on how to get more from this product.
Whether you have Microsoft 365 already or not, this really is a fantastic opportunity to find out more, so we encourage you to check out the details and book your place click here.
During these challenging times one of the things for businesses to think about, apart from your’s and your family’s heath is how safe is your business.
Already increasing in startling numbers, cyber attacks continue to be a daily occurrence, Unfortunately the hackers are using the current situation to their advantage. Hopefully these free tips will go some way to keep your business safe;
Passwords
Potentially the weakest link to your business. Ensure you have a strong password, not one that you use for multiple sites, a mixture of numbers, letters and characters, cases and the longer the better. We would recommend using a free password manager like LastPass to store all your uniquely generated and hard to remember passwords in. This keeps life really simple with the Chrome browser plugin and the mobile app to assist you where you need access to your passwords. There are also Enterprise level solutions available.
Anti Virus
this is the software that helps stop viruses getting into your system, there are lots of different options available, we recommend Webroot which is bank standard software. If you are an HSBC customer they were giving it to their customers.
Back ups
Make sure wherever possible you are backing up your system regularly at least onto a hard drive. Ideally a cloud back up solution is best but any form of back up is better than none at all. For Microsoft 365 users there is also a SAAS back up solution for individual accounts.
Phishing
Be extra vigilant with emails and attachments, if you aren’t sure about it don’t open it, see link to our Phishing post https://www.bowe.co.uk/phishing-what-is-it-how-can-we-protect-ourselves/
If you would like any further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch, contact us here