Tools every work at home professional should have

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Being a work at home professional requires that you not only possess the required skills to get the job done, but that you also have the tools of the trade. Unlike working onsite, where supplies and equipment are provided for you, when working from home it’s almost guaranteed that you will be totally responsible for obtaining most of the resources that you need.

Here’s a list of just some of the resources that you should expect to have if you work from home:

Internet access

Having internet acccess is no longer optional if you work from home, it’s a must. The ability to access e-mail, doucments, articles, news online, and company servers is a requirement for practically every business and it’s employees, especially those who work from home.

Microsoft Office

You’ll need a dependable and universal software program to create your documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, and more. Microsoft Office is the most widely used business software package and is a highly recommended investment. However, if cost is an issue, there are plenty of freeware business programs you can access online, just beware of potential viruses and incompatibility issues.

A dedicated phone and fax line

Next to having internet access, owning a phone and fax line dedicated solely to your home business is the next most important tool you can own. Features that you may be required to have includet: disabled three-way calling and unlimited long distance if you are working for a customer service company, and electronic fax capability, which allows you to send and receive fax messages directly through your computer.

Social Networking Accounts

Social networking is a great way to promote your skills and services to employers and clients. Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter allow you to display your work, thoughts, and attract new business. Many employers like to see their workers previously engaged in these sites before hiring them to guarantee that they are actively engaged and familiar with how to use them to effectively. Just make sure you keep it professional.

A professional email account

Having an email address is standard for almost everyone these days, but having a professional email address is a necessity for any work at home professional. You can’t expect to be taken very serously with email addresses like hotnsexy@hotmail.com or wildingout@yahoo.com. If possible, it’s always best to own an email address hosted on your own domain.

Access to instant messaging and chat

The ability to remain in constant contact with your employers and clients is critical when working from home. Changes and problems can arise at any time, so having an instant message account is a great way to make yourself available throughout your work day (and night). Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and Google Talk are all good platforms and they’re free!

A website or blog

In today’s world of ever-increasing technology and the need for instant access, having a website or blog is the new equivalent of a paper resume. Establishing yourself on the internet is a great way for potential clients and employers to find you and connect with you. And contrary to popular belief, creating a website doesn’t have to cost you a thing or require extensive knowledge of html or other coding languages. Free sites like Blogger.com and WordPress.com are great places to get started online for free and are loaded with tutorials and public forums where you can find valuable information to any questions you might have.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but it is a great place to start in ensuring that you have the tools that you need to succeed in your home based career.

Spammers test filters with obscure formats

Hey! And what do you think of this? I have found this today while surfing the Internet and I am interested in your opinion.

Spammers are adopting obscure file formats to get attachments passed security filters, Symantec researchers have warned.

According to Symantec, spammers have taken to using two formats in particular, the electronic fax format, eFax, and the Internet Explorer web archive format, MHT, in a bid to sidestep aggressive filtering for better known file types.

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The attacks detected by the company are standard in every way except the file format used for the attachments, both of which open convincing but bogus websites designed to scam unsuspecting visitors.

“Users need to be cautious of unknown file types and should understand the capabilities of the new file type encountered before attempting to open it,” caution the researchers with understatement.

Experimenting with file attachment formats in spam isn’t a new phenomenon, but usually involves popular types known to users. The use of unfamiliar MHT and EFX formats shows the lengths to which spammers will now go to get dangerous content into email inboxes by whatever means. PDFs, ZIP files emerged as a favoured type in 2006, but are now tricky to get past most attachment filters because the threat is known.

It is unlikely that the use of attachments in place of embedded links or html is significant beyond the possibility that recipients might be more drawn to open an email because it comes with an attachment. In many cases, the email might get caught for other reasons, such as the use of keywords, the subject line, or because the sender’s address falls foul of reputation filtering.

Airport Authority trying to make Clarksville airport corporate-focused

Today I have found some interesting info about the Clarksville airport. Waiting for your comments.
The Airport Authority is trying to change the focus of operations at Outlaw Field to meet the changing needs of the community and to move away from a waning aviation trend.
Board members and other community leaders want to shift Outlaw Field from a general-aviation airport to a corporate-focused facility.

General aviation

A general-aviation facility supports light, predominantly single-engine, personally owned aircraft that are used for recreational flying or personal travel.

Characteristics of general-aviation airports include:

Flight schools and flight-training are a large part of flying.

Fuel sales are lower because of the smaller planes.

Covered hangars and tie-down areas predominant, with limited hangar space for aircraft.

Social activities centered around Flying Clubs.

Some have restaurants that generate weekend “fly-ins” for breakfast or lunch from surrounding general-aviation airports.

Facilities are available for routine maintenance, but electronic or sophisticated maintenance or repair usually is not available.

A fixed-base operator meets general aviation needs and light aircraft sales at larger general aviation airports.

Flying is generally under Visual Flight Rules.

Runways are usually not equipped for electronic approaches.

Corporate aviation

A corporate-aviation airport focuses on business-owned planes, predominantly multi-engine, turbo-prop or turbine aircraft used for business travel.

Characteristics of corporate-aviation airports include:

Facility offers excellent pilot support, with weather information, flight planning and crew rest areas.

Business support with access to Internet, fax machines, catering and meeting space.

Fuel sales are higher because larger planes burn more and hold more fuel.

Large, well-lit, clean hangars are available for interim use to protect corporate planes from weather conditions.

Corporate-owned hangars — with and without flight departments — are typical to house and service aircraft that can cost from $2 million to $35 million.

Sophisticated maintenance is available for turbine engines and electronics.

Flying is predominantly under Instrument Flight Rules.

Runways have more sophisticated landing aids.

Charter flight services are usually available.

IRS Alerts Public to New Identity Theft Scams

Hi! Today I will post the info about some types of scams for you could be ready for the danger of being defrauded. It is really useful in nowadays, when such cases are met every day and everywhere. Read carefully!
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds consumers to avoid identity theft scams that use the IRS name, logo or Web site in an attempt to convince taxpayers that the scam is a genuine communication from the IRS. Scammers may use other federal agency names, such as the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

In an identity theft scam, a fraudster, often posing as a trusted government, financial or business institution or official, tries to trick a victim into revealing personal and financial information, such as credit card numbers and passwords, bank account numbers and passwords, Social Security numbers and more. Generally, identity thieves use someone’s personal data to steal his or her financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim’s name and even file fraudulent tax returns.

The scams may take place through e-mail, fax or phone. When they take place via e-mail, they are called “phishing” scams.

The IRS does not discuss tax account matters with taxpayers by e-mail.

The IRS urges consumers to avoid falling for the following recent schemes:

Making Work Pay Refund

This phishing e-mail, which claims to come from the IRS, references the president and the Making Work Pay provision of the 2009 economic recovery law. It says that there is a refundable credit available to workers, consumers and retirees that can be paid into the recipient’s bank account if the recipient registers their account information with the IRS. The e-mail contains links to register the account and to claim the tax refund.

In reality, most taxpayers receive their Making Work Pay tax credit, which was designed for wage earners, in their paychecks as a result of decreased tax withholding, not as a lump sum distribution from a federal fund. Additionally, consumers and retirees who are not wage earners are not eligible for this tax credit.

Inherited Funds / Lottery Winnings / Cash Consignment

In this phishing scheme, recipients receive an e-mail claiming to come from the U.S. Department of the Treasury notifying them that they will receive millions of dollars in recovered funds or lottery winnings or cash consignment if they provide certain personal information, including phone numbers, via return e-mail. The e-mail may be just the first step in a multi-step scheme, in which the victim is later contacted by telephone or further e-mail and instructed to deposit taxes on the funds or winnings before they can receive any of it. Alternatively, they may be sent a phony check of the funds or winnings and told to deposit it but pay 10 percent in taxes or fees. Thinking that the check must have cleared the bank and is genuine, some people comply. However, the scammers, not the Treasury Department, will get the taxes or fees.

Form W-8BEN

In this scam, fraudsters modify a genuine IRS form, the W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding, to request detailed personal and financial information. This could include nationality, passport number, bank account and PIN numbers, spouse’s name and mother’s maiden name, or other personal or financial information or security measures for financial accounts. The scammers may use the genuine form number and name or may make up a new form number, such as W-4100B2.

They either e-mail or fax the form or letter. If only a letter, the letter itself contains the request for the personal and financial information. The letter, which claims to come from the IRS, states that the recipient will face additional taxes unless he or she quickly faxes the required information to the number provided by the scammer.

In reality, taxpayers file the genuine Form W-8BEN with their financial institutions, not with the IRS. Additionally, the genuine W-8BEN does not request the taxpayer’s passport number, bank account number, security or similar information.

Refund Scam

The bogus e-mail, which claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount. It instructs the recipient to click on a link contained in the e-mail to access and complete a form for the tax refund. The form requires the entry of personal and financial information. The refund scam is the most common one seen by the IRS. Several recent variations on this scam have claimed to come from the Exempt Organizations area of the IRS. Some others have included the name and purported signature of a genuine or a made-up IRS executive.

Taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain a refund. Taxpayer refunds are based on the tax return they submit to the IRS.