TOGETHER, WE MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE THIS FALL, DON’T FALL FOR SCAMS DEBUNKING COMMON CYBERSECURITY MYTHS SUMMER 2025 SPRING 2025 REACH FALL
2 FALL 2025 The Consolidated Reach newsletter is a publication of Consolidated Telcom. — Robbin Schwindt, Editor — CONTACT US Office Hours Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (MST) Holiday Office Closures November 27 and 28 for Thanksgiving December 24 and 25 for Christmas January 1 for New Year’s Day Phone Numbers Local: 701.483.4000 US Toll Free: 888.225.5282 Main Fax: 701.483.0001 Internet Support 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week 701.483.4638 or 701.483.INET Telephone & TV Support 701.483.4444 or 800.247.1858 Mailing Address Consolidated Telcom PO Box 1408 507 South Main Dickinson, ND 58602 www.consolidatednd.com Copyright © 2025 by Consolidated Telcom and Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. REACH FALL 25 Fall is most people’s favorite season. I’m not surprised. After all, what’s not to love? The foliage is beautiful, the weather is crisp, and you get to enjoy the excitement of football and the family fun of Halloween and Thanksgiving. The Consolidated team wants our entire community to have a fabulous fall. On page 3, we review some of our recent community giving projects and celebrate that Together, We Made a Real Difference. Then on pages 4 and 5, we share a Security Spotlight titled This Fall, Don’t Fall for Scams, which covers topics including Amazon impersonators and tech support scammers. On page 6, we take on the task of Debunking Common Cybersecurity Myths about passwords and phishing. If you like to buy gifts during the fall months, don’t miss 5 Ways to Shop Locally This Holiday Season on page 7. Speaking of holidays, turn to page 8 for details on The Great Pumpkin Hunt and our Halloween Open House. Another cherished fall activity is cozying up under a blanket and streaming new movies and series. Should you encounter buffering due to insufficient internet speed, please contact Consolidated about an upgrade. We’re always here to help! Sincerely, Bryan W. Personne CEO/General Manager Consolidated
FALL 2025 3 REACH WELCOME TO OUR NEW EMPLOYEE, KEVEN PINEDA Keven Pineda joined the Consolidated team on June 2 as an Internet Tech and, in just under two months, earned a promotion to IT Systems Specialist on July 31. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from DSU and was drawn to Consolidated for our positive work environment, strong community involvement, and genuine care for employees. Outside of work, Keven enjoys fishing, video games, and programming. Please join us in congratulating Keven on his promotion and welcoming him to the team! REMINDER TO SNOWBIRDS Are you heading south for the winter? Call Consolidated at 701.483.4000 at least a week before you leave to place your services on “vacation” for a onetime fee of $24. We’d be happy to give youmore details when you call. DON’T FORGET TO TURN BACK YOUR CLOCKS Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 2. Remember to turn your clocks back one hour. TOGETHER, WE MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE Consolidated believes in giving back by taking part in a variety of community-based events in our area. Most recently, we were proud to work with our neighbors to help support local students as well as cancer patients and their families. Thank you for supporting our school supply drive Thanks to your generosity, 28 schools and agencies in our service area received supplies to help students start the year strong. Special thanks to Gate City Bank (in Dickinson and Hettinger) and JE Dunn Construction for sponsoring backpacks, and 701 Auto Enthusiasts and the South Heart Lions for their generous support. Project Hope Week 2025 was a success Team Consolidated was pleased to donate $2,500 to the Bismarck Cancer Center Foundation through Project Hope Week 2025. We send out a huge “thank you“ to our entire team for making Project Hope Week such a success, and to the Bismarck Cancer Center and Foundation for the incredible work it does every day for individuals and families in our communities.
4 FALL 2025 SECURITY SPOTLIGHT: THIS FALL, DON’T FALL FOR SCAMS There are so many scams out there these days, and Consolidated wants to keep you informed of the threats. That’s why we’re devoting these two pages to helping you spot scams and avoid becoming a victim. AMAZON IMPERSONATORS SCAM VICTIMS OUT OF MONEY Has Amazon contacted you to confirm a recent purchase you didn’t make or to tell you that your account has been hacked? According to the Federal Trade Commission, about one in three people who have reported a business impersonator scam say the scammer pretended to be Amazon. These scams take different forms. In one version, scammers offer to “refund” you for an unauthorized purchase but “accidentally transfer” more than promised. They then ask you to send back the difference. What really happens? The scammer moves money from one of your bank accounts to the other (like savings to checking, or vice versa) to make it look like you were refunded. Any money you send back to “Amazon” is your money, not an overpayment, and as soon as you send it out of your account, it becomes theirs. In another version of the scam, you’re told that hackers have accessed your account — and the only way to supposedly protect it is to buy gift cards and share the gift card number and PIN on the back. Once that information is theirs, the money is, too. To avoid being taken by an Amazon impersonator scam: • Never call back an unknown number. Use the information on Amazon’s website and not a number listed in an unexpected email or text. • Don’t pay for anything with a gift card. Gift cards are for gifts. If anyone asks you to pay with a gift card, or buy gift cards for anything other than a gift, it’s a scam. • Don’t give remote access to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. This gives scammers easy access to your personal and financial information such as your bank accounts. If you think someone has achieved access to your accounts or personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov.
FALL 2025 5 REACH TECH SUPPORT SCAMMERS WANT MONEY OR COMPUTER ACCESS When you communicate with tech support, you want them to help you solve computer problems, not create them! Yet, that's exactly what scammers pretending to be tech support personnel are doing. Here's how it typically works: Pop-up ads claiming to sell fixes for your computer lead you to a website to download the software. The website includes a phone number for you to call to "register" the software. When you call, the person on the other end of the line requests information, such as passwords or remote access to your computer. Using remote access, they "examine" your computer and tell you that it has problems that need additional "solutions." They then ask for your credit card number to purchase these so-called solutions that don't actually do anything. While they're at it, they may infect your computer with malware or use your financial information to commit credit card fraud. To help protect against scams, follow these tips: • Never give access to your computer to someone who calls you out of the blue. • To contact tech support, call the number you already have for your hardware or software. • Never provide credit card information, passwords, or other sensitive data to someone claiming to be a tech support representative. • Use an anti-virus and anti-malware application, and run it regularly to ensure continuous protection. • Perhaps most importantly, back up all your files regularly. Use a reliable offsite backup and recovery service. Think you may already have been a victim of a scam? Check your computer for malware, change passwords you may have given out, and reverse any associated credit card charges. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION You need to take a multi-prong approach to guarding your personal information. Here are key strategies: • Carry only necessary identification. Do not carry your Social Security card with you. • Take steps to reduce the amount of mail you receive that displays personal information. • Be cautious when providing your Social Security number. It’s okay to ask whether it is needed for the application or transaction. • Check your credit report annually using annualcreditreport.com. • Never provide personal information over the phone or internet unless you have initiated the contact and have confirmed the business or person’s identity. • Avoid leaving any personal information in your car. • Shred unnecessary documents, especially those containing your personal information. • Take your outgoing mail to the post office or postal box rather than using street-side mailboxes. One way to cut down on the amount of mail you receive that contains personal information is to pay your bills online. To use Consolidated’s Pay Now, visit ctctel.smarthub.coop/PayNow.
6 FALL 2025 Myth: I have a strong password, so I don't need to worry. It's great if you have a long and strong passwordwith a blend of letters, numbers, and special characters. However, you needmore than one. Every account and device should have its own password—don’t use the same one inmultiple places, regardless of how strong it is. If you reuse passwords, itmeans that if one of your accounts is hacked, all of your other accounts are at risk. It’s also recommended that you enableMFA (multifactor authentication) for every account, which doubles up your protection beyond your password.The few seconds required to enter a code sent to your phone is well worth the added security. Myth: Password managers aren't safe because they could get hacked. Sometimes people express concerns about storing all their passwords in one place. However, high-quality passwordmanagers are the safest way to store your passwords.These programs also ensure that you're using strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts. Because of the technology passwordmanagers use, the passwordmanager company doesn't even know your master password. When you enableMFA on your passwordmanager, it becomes evenmore secure.There have been incidents when passwordmanager companies get hacked. However, when you use a strongmaster password andMFA, you canmaintain your security even in these situations.This is why passwordmanagers are safer than notebooks, sticky notes, or documents saved on your computer. Myth: Phishing emails will always be obvious. I’ll know them when I see them. Thismythmay have been true at one time, but that’s no longer the case. Due to thewidespread use of AI, both grammar and spelling in phishing emails have improved significantly in recent years, making themharder to spot. Some scammessages can appear almost identical tomessages from trusted sources.What you need to look for now is a sense of urgency. Is the message unexpected? Is it trying to get you to act quicklywithout thinking? There are lots of myths about cybersecurity. Let’s debunk a few common ones. WHAT ARE SYMMETRICAL INTERNET SPEEDS? The internet is a two-way street. Download speed is how quickly you pull data from the internet to your device, and upload speed is how fast you can send data from your device to the internet. Symmetrical speeds mean that your upload and download speeds are the same. For example, if you have a 500 Mbps symmetrical internet plan, both your download and upload speeds are 500 Mbps. Fiber is the only broadband type capable of symmetrical speeds. By comparison, cable or DSL services generally offer high download speeds but much slower upload speeds. If you work from home, upload speeds are critical. They boost video conferencing quality, reduce the time to upload files, and improve cloud-based applications and backup services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud. In addition, smart home security cameras require fast upload speeds to streamwhat they capture and enable you to watch while you’re away. Consolidated’s fiber internet plans offer symmetrical speeds ranging from 2.5 Gig to 100 Mbps. Visit www.consolidatednd.com for details. DEBUNKING COMMON CYBERSECURITY MYTHS
FALL 2025 7 REACH Find recipes at: Consolidated.com/cookingcrave Mail recipes to: Consolidated/Rhonda Fitterer PO Box 1408 Dickinson, ND 58602 Wednesday Evenings and Thursday Afternoons on Consolidated Channel 18 Instead of buying all your holiday gifts from Amazon or big box stores, we encourage you to shop in your own backyard whenever possible. Local small businesses offer unique items, and you’ll be contributing to the economic growth of our area. 5 WAYS TO SHOP LOCALLY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON 1. Choose Christmas cards from local artists. Why settle for run-of-the-mill cards when you can send works of art? Check to see if there are local artists who make prints of their work and turn them into Christmas cards (or everyday notecards). 2. Buy books from an independent bookstore. Books make great gifts for people of any age. Browse through a small, locally owned bookstore for a relaxing shopping experience. 3. Visit local holiday festivals. During this time of the year, many community organizations host holiday festivals that include vendor booths. These events provide the opportunity to discover local artisans and makers you might not have been aware of otherwise. You’re sure to find one-of-a-kind stocking stuffers and gifts. 4. Send a seasonal floral arrangement. When you want to give flowers to someone in town, skip the big online flower services and walk into your friendly neighborhood florist shop instead. You’ll be able to literally “stop and smell the roses” during the hectic holiday season. 5. Grab a cup of coffee and shop simultaneously. The next time you meet a friend for coffee at your favorite independent coffee shop, look around for holiday gifts while you’re there. You may be able to pick up a selection of gourmet coffees to give as hostess gifts or buy coffee mugs for your child’s teachers.
P.O. Box 1408 Dickinson, ND 58602 Cornerstone Group © 2025 HALLOWEEN OPEN HOUSE! PARENTS BRING YOUR LITTLE ONES IN FOR TREATS! October 31 2:30 to 4:30 pm October 27 to 31 Great Pumpkin Hotline: 483-HUNT (483-4868) consolidatednd.com/pumpkin2025 THE GREAT PUMPKIN HUNT FIND A PUMPKIN FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE GRAND PRIZE!
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