AtlantaEvent.com NewsFlash - Phishing With Dynamite

Jeff Glaze - Editor This E-mail is Privacy Certified Visit Privacy-First.com for details.

Editors Notes: People are capable of anything. I am convinced of it, if you read my article "Phishing with Dynamite" you will see yet another level below the bottom that people will go to in order to cheat unsuspecting folks out of their money. I hate to be negative, but darn it, sometimes you just have to sound the alarm! I would like to offer my apologies to one of my favorite contributing authors. In my last 2 issues, articles by Kathleen Gage were either truncated or contained a bad link to her web site. The bad link was my error, the truncated article was thanks to my mailing service. My apologies also to those who were enjoying her article when suddenly it ended in the middle of nowhere. Take a moment to click on her name above and visit her site if you get the chance. She is one of our best and we appreciate her contributions. If you haven't seen the calendar on AtlantaEvent.com this week, take a look at the new type of ad in the column to the right of the page. These ad are available for only $160 a month and they are sure to be noticed by the thousands of business people who visit AtlantaEvent.com each week. They can contain any information and link to your site. If you want more info on this call me 678-508-5975. Remember, your feedback is important to us. Tell us what information you need, and we will try to get it for you. Be sure to use the ask the expert we are featuring. He is waiting to answer your questions. Special Thanks to our sponsor of AtlantaEvent.com, The Ziglar Performance Group. Click the image at left to visit their site. Thanks for subscribing, thanks for using AtlantaEvent.com, and have a great week. Be sure to visit AtlantaEvent.com often and tell everyone about it. If you would like more info on Privacy-First™ e-mail certification ( logo at left ), click for details. Jeff Glaze - Editor

Click here to buy my e-book.

If you were born before 1960, you may remember a strange phenomenon that was once used by some people to shortcut the process of catching fish. Instead of using a fishing pole and waiting patiently for a fish to swim by and take the bait, they would take a boat out into the lake with several sticks of dynamite in hand.

A quick setup and a toss of one of those sticks of dynamite into the lake resulted in an underwater explosion - either killing or stunning all of the fish in the general area of the explosion. Once dead or stunned, the fish floated to the surface and the so-called fishermen could scoop them up with a net and fill their boat with the catch of the day.

Now outlawed and much more difficult to buy the tackle required, fishing with dynamite is pretty much a thing of the past.

In the past few years a new type of activity has been commonly referred to as Phishing. This does not involve water but involves using bait to catch unsuspecting victims. Once caught, victims give the Phisher their personal information.

This type of scam started online with the phony bank emails asking people to update their information. It then spread to the phony email pretending to be from from e-Bay or Pay Pal. Next was the fraudulent email from the African business people asking for help to transfer millions of dollars from their deceased relatives accounts. Then there was the one in which a poor rich individual was dying and they wanted an honest person to take their millions and distribute it to charities. And lastly in this series has been the business partner needed scam where the foreign company needs an “agent” to help them in this country.

Most of these rip-off scams were geared to trying to get your personal sensitive information to be used to empty your bank account or to commit identity fraud.

Now there is a brand new assault that is targeted at the unemployed and what a good target they can be. Why are the unemployed a good target? Most people who experience unemployment suffer from elevated anxiety about their future. This anxiety increases over time, the longer the period of unemployment continues.

Today with the miracle of the internet, we can search for employment online via massive job sites. You know the big ones, you have seen the commercials and possibly you have even uploaded your resume to them.

The scammers have seen the commercials too. Now they have begun to use these sites disguised as employers offering really good paying, interesting sounding jobs. One of the recent ones was related to a talent agency. Here is how the process goes.

You get an email from the prospective employer telling you that they have seen your resume on the job site and they would like you to fill out their online application and send a resume. In some cases, this is the only step, if they ask for things like your SSN in the application. They might really have it worked out and take it further. They may only ask for basic information and have you upload your resume. Then they build on the game - they make you wait. About a week or so later you get the congratulatory email saying that you have been selected from applicants, and to go online and fill out the agreement, after which you have to fill out the insurance forms, or the W2 form so you can begin your training.

Alarms are going off and red lights flashing!

As a person who has been unemployed for three or more months, wouldn't you love an offer making $75-100 thousand dollars a year?

I guarantee that some people are giving all of their information. In investigating one of these scams, I found that one online scammer had built over 50 different web sites under 50 different company names. Each time they got the boot from the online job site, they just started a new bogus company.

In fact some sources for my research said that some of the information stolen was not used for identity theft, but sold to other scammers and spammers for their use.

So now, everyone is officially a target, if you have money, no money, if you are an adult or a child, if you are living and breathing and even dead, your personal information can and may be stolen. If or when it is will you have been the one who gave the information away in desperation of getting good employment? My guess is if you are reading this article, you won't.

Remember these points:

1. When it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
2. A good paying job usually requires a face to face interview.
3. Even a criminal can buy a secure web site.
4. Online job sites do not screen employers.

Use caution online, it's a high speed jungle out there and now, they're Phishing with dynamite!

Jeff Glaze is the Editor of AtlantaEvent.com, founder of privacy-first.com e-mail certification program and the author of several e-books. His company, Mostcool Media Inc.( mostcoolmedia.com ), specializes in marketing planning, coaching, business networking training, web and media development. His e-book "The Six Xtremes Of Power Business Networking" is available here: atlantaevent.com/ebook.htm Jeff Glaze is available to speak to your group and can be contacted at 678.508.5975 Copyright © 2006 by MostCool Media Inc.

$500
Special

$500
Special

Even though technologies enable us to dissolve boundaries of space and time and connect us in exciting ways, we still face the same old challenge: to dissolve boundaries among colleagues, to build trust, and to engage our people.

We-centric leaders lift people out of fear, frustration, and anger, which cause people to disengage from each other. They create a culture than enables colleagues to be connected, involved in living the values and vision.

When people fell disconnected, they become reactive, project their anxiety onto others, create more fear, blame others for what is missing in their lives, reject first to avoid being rejected and disengage.

When colleagues work in concert, they learn from each other, develop higher-level skills and wisdom, meet performance goals, and turn breakdowns into breakthroughs. When leaders turn to others for suggestions and value them, they create a community that looks forward to coming to work.

Learn to manage three dynamics: First, learn to manage your own reactions - bullying, intimidating and micro managing don't get results; inspire others to higher performance. Second, put your ego behind you - what matters is what "we can do together" not what "I" can do. Third, let go of the past; focus on the challenges facing you and build healthy, mutually beneficial relationships.

Mastering these three dynamics changes everything. Your ability to lead will increase exponentially, and you will enhance your ability to create inspiring environments where people work together for mutual gain, growth and understanding.

Rather than get tangled up in conversations about blame, fear and frustrations about what is not happening at work, you establish a positive context for transformation by engaging people in ongoing conversations about what has, can and will work to create a transformation. In doing so, you focus on what needs to happen to address the challenges and with that focus and commitment, you develop into the best company possible. Rather than trying to fix the past, you create the future with others.

Hard wiring the DNA

As a leader, you can shape the experiences people have at work by reducing fear and inner focus and creating cultures that facilitate enhanced sensitivity, mutual support, vital communication and engagement in the strategy. When we live in toxic fear-based cultures, we become unhealthy in mind and spirit. We can react like cancer cells - like cells that stop communicating with the immune system designed to protect the whole body, cells that start to grow all over because they have lost their sensitivity to other cells and cells that create roots and lock themselves in isolation, drawing nourishment from the body and weakening it.

When we live in fear, we withdraw, build our own "story" of reality, imagine others are out to get us and react accordingly. We stop turning to others for help and stop taking feedback and advice from others.

Universal fears include the fears of being excluded - so we create networks and exclude others first. Being rejected - so we reject first. Being judged unfairly - so we criticize and blame others. Failing - so we avoid taking risks and making mistakes. Losing power - so we intimidate others to get power. Feeling stupid - so we either don't speak up or speak too much. Looking bad in front of others - so we save face.

Universal desires include the desire to be included on a winning team, be appreciated, successful, powerful, creative, smart and influential; to have a leadership voice and meaning and purpose; to learn, grow and explore.

When we perceive the world through a lens of fear, our egos drive us into habit patterns of retention. Over time, we incorporate defensive behavior patterns into our daily routines. We turn away from others when we are coming from protective behaviors, rather than turning to others for help in making vital changes in our lives.

Unleashing Humanity

Leaders create cultures where all team members can contribute their talents and potential. Potential is often invisible - yet to be discovered. It's born out of the healthy interactions of one person with another. As we interact, we trigger responses.

Once you learn new strategies and techniques for rewiring your life, relationships, and workplace from those that are focused on fear to those that are focused on achieving outrageous results, your life (and the lives of others who work with you) will radically shift. When we live in a positive, inspiring, inter-dependent, catalytic, expressive workplace, we all share the power for turning a toxic culture into a healthy, we-centric, inclusive workplace. From this new vantage point, you gain a new perspective about what you can create with others.

Try This

When colleagues work together to discover Best Practices, they shift from focusing on the negative, refocusing on looking for the positive practices that help the organization grow to its potential. Best Practices represent what is good and what works, and it defines what it means to be a world-class company that attracts customers. Sharing Best Practices is a way of elevating the skills and talent of everyone.

Create a Best Practices forum to change the focus from loss to gain.

- Bring a team together to discover and share Best Practices.
- Choose people who work in different ways can raise the IQ for everyone.
- Use the Best Practices framework to catalyze cooperation and teamwork among colleagues who come from different areas and work in different ways.
- Ask team members to think of things they do that have a positive impact.
- Ask the team members to describe what they are working on, what approaches they are taking, what impact they are having and how to transfer this knowledge to others.
- Each member of the team presents these Best Practices to colleagues
- The facilitator captures what each person is doing to create success.
- Participants ask questions to clarify the Best Practices and to learn how to transfer them to other situations. The end result is that people feel heard and valued.

The hardest part of leadership is that everyone wants to play an important role and be recognized for their contributions. Sometimes leaders find it difficult to manage the relationships, the competing demands and needs and the lack of resources - and so territoriality arises. Sometimes we lose our sensitivity to others. We become so enchanted with our own notoriety and entrenched in our own successes that we forget to honor others for their contributions.

Leaders need to create a feed-back-rich culture so that everyone is open to feedback on their ideas and behavior. This way everyone grows. As a leader, you can promote mutuality by tapping into the vital instinct of growth. You can encourage everyone to be sensitive to personal and group boundaries, while helping them to see how personal growth can best be achieved by expanding opportunities for growth of the enterprise.

Leader Behavior

We often turn to turf wars, silos and territoriality when we fear we are losing what we hold dear. Fear drives us into our I-centric behavior, and we protect rather than partner.

Health comes from creating environments that honor the seven universal desires we all have for making contributions, for expressing ourselves:

- Audit yourself and see if you are creating environments that acknowledge the seven key universal desires.
- If you are not creating environments that encourage mutuality and support, are you open to feedback?
- Identify your areas of strength. Continue to do this, because it creates healthy environments.
- Identify your developmental opportunities - leader behaviors that you have not been practicing that create a supportive, healthy culture.
- Create opportunities daily to experiment with the leader behaviors that you have not been practicing.
- Monitor your impact. Notice how you can reduce territoriality and increase positive energy and support.

Judith E. Glaser, CEO of Benchmark Communications, Inc. and author of Creating WE: Change I-Thinking to We-Thinking & Build a Healthy Thriving Organization; Platinum Press, 2005. Selected as one of the best business books of 2005. creatingwe.com; and The DNA of Leadership, February 2006; 212-307-4386.

Nancy Snell, CEC, is a certified professional business coach with a broadcasting career that spanned 25+ years. She specializes in workplace issues and coaches professionals who are ready to get unblocked, un frustrated and on track. Nancy served as a Director on the Board of the NYC – ICF in 2005. nancysnell.com 212-517-6488

Q. Whenever I am out networking I am never really sure what to say. I've already got the standard, “what's your name” and “what do you do” type questions, but once I get beyond that I'm at a loss. Any suggestions?

Well, let me ease your fears by saying you're not alone. I get people coming up to me all the time asking the very same thing, because let's face it: Engaging new people is a scary proposition.

As entrepreneurs and sales folks, we know we need to network in order to get more business, but according to a recent study, meeting new people is the 2nd biggest social fear most Americans have. That's the bad news.

The good news is we also know that people love to talk about themselves. So if we can ask a few good questions designed to get them talking about their business, we stand a much greater chance of keeping the conversation going.

Here are some of my favorite questions whenever I meet someone for the first time:

• “Where else do you normally network?” This is a great conversation starter after you've introduced yourself. It not only introduces a subject you both know something about – networking – but it also comes across as fresh and insightful since the question is rarely asked.

• “What do you like best about what you do?” This is a new twist off the age old, “So what do you do?” question. Once a person tells you what they do (Oh, I'm a printer) then all you have to ask is what do they like best about the printing business. It doesn't get too much easier than that.

• “What got you started in this direction?” Since we know that most entrepreneurs didn't graduate from college and immediately start their own business, it's safe to say they were doing something else before you two met. Which means something started them down this entrepreneurial road: You're just interested in hearing more about it. At this point, your contact can tell you as much, or as little as they'd like about their past. Either way, you've got the person talking about himself, and you're getting to know them in the process.

Make no mistake about it, keeping a conversation going with a total stranger is not an easy task, but once you nail down a few easy questions, you'll be well on your towards networking like a pro.

As a popular speaker and author, Brian is recognized as the leading authority in showing busy entrepreneurs how to get more leads and close more deals. If you have a sales or marketing question, just email info@agitoconsulting.com and stay tuned for a response. Be sure to visit agitoconsulting.com

If you are in sales you know one of the most challenging aspects of what you do is getting in front of prospects. Prospects and clients are bombarded constantly with items that promote, market, or advertise what people do. So we sell, buy, receive, file, or throw away items that we're just not sure what to do with. Millions of dollars in advertising and promotions end up in the trash, completely ineffective and wasted.

The question becomes: How do you keep your promotional advertising and unique marketing items out of the trash and on the desk? The answer is simple: use creative and appropriate methods to get recognized.

Sales is really about the ability to think quickly, be flexible, creative and innovation. Regardless of what some people may believe, marketing is a huge part of the sales process. If you want to stand apart from the competition, you need to do more than sell products. You need to know how to get your foot in the door. To get your foot in the door you have to market. However, it also means making sure you have the right door and a plan for keeping your foot there.

Selling is also about taking stock of your market, your prospective customer, and yourself before you even go a-knocking. It is about knowing you are doing the right thing for the right reasons.

Selling is truly an art. It is not just about getting the business. It is knowing you are making a difference in the lives of others with the product or service you provide. It is being of service to others, loving what you do and having fun while you do it.

Following are two fun ideas from the book, “101 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door.”

Growing Solutions
A lot of selling is about assisting prospects during periods of growth.

The gift of a live plant is a great way to get your foot in the door. Most everyone appreciates plants. They bring life into a dull space and provide beauty as well. You'd be hard pushed to find a prospect who will deep-six your gift of a plant.

You can play on the words “growth” and “growing” while sending a gift that will stay in the office and on the prospect's desk.

Along with your card include a note that reads:

-We are interested in helping during this rapid period of growth.
-Is your business growing to the point that you need our service?
-We'd love to help you grow.
-Instructions for growth: Water once a day and call us at ______.
-Congratulations on your growth.”

Don't be stingy if you're going to do this. Buy a big healthy plant and have it professionally potted and delivered. The presentation and delivery are as important as the clever play on words.

New Company in Town
A great way to get your foot in the door is to be helpful long before you knock on it. When a new company hits town send them a “My Favorites” list that refers them to the best people, places, and professionals in town.

Make sure these are reputable companies and individuals who offer quality products and services. If there is a specific contact, include that person's name and number.

A - My Favorites - list could include:
-Chambers of Commerce
-Conference centers
-Consultants
-Florist
-Local associations and contact numbers
-Local printer
-Media contacts
-Restaurants (think about including a take-out menu) -Office supply store -Places of interest -Travel agents

Remember to include yourself and your services!

Once they receive your list, follow up and ask if you can be of assistance in any way. The Law of Reciprocity is a strong one!

The ideas for getting your foot in the door are endless. Again, all it takes is making sure you have the right door, you are appropriately creative, you believe in your product or service, and you are willing to take a risk.

About the Author
Kathleen Gage is an award winning entrepreneur, corporate trainer and keynote speaker and author. She is the co-author of, 101 Ways to Get Your Foot In the Door; Success Strategies to Put You Miles Ahead of the Competition. To get more tips on how to get your foot in the door of your prospects and clients visit 101waystogetyourfootinthedoor.com

If someone could do it better, wouldn't they have done it by now? I mean, honestly, if someone else could tell your story better than you, present your information better than you, deliver your expertise better than you – wouldn't they have done it by now?

The fact that your story hasn't been told, hasn't been written, hasn't been sold, can mean only one thing: If you don't tell it, write it down and put it in a book – then no one else will.

It's just that simple. If you don't do it – if you don't write your book - no one else will.

So why haven't you written your book yet? If you're like me, you probably have a long list of excuses like:
• My story/expertise/advice isn't unique
• No one will want to read it
• I'm not a writer
• I can't do it by myself
Each one of these is an excuse an excuse to live in fear; an excuse not to help other people; an excuse not to live your dream.

Stop making excuses. Write your book. For each of these excuses, I can give you a reason to write your book…

1. My story/information/expertise is not unique – Ok. Hold up right there. Are you trying to tell me that YOU are not unique? Are you saying that GOD created two of you? Are you saying that there's someone else on this planet with the same experiences, characteristics, knowledge and expertise that you posses?

You are unique; you're experiences are unique; you're knowledge is unique; there is no one else like you. So if you don't put you're story/expertise/information in writing – no one else will. You will miss the experience of sharing what you know with the rest of the world. The world will miss the opportunity to learn and grow from who you are, where you've been, what you've seen and what you know. Stop making excuses. Write your book.

2. No one will want to read it. - Nonsense. People will read your book. For the sake of argument, however, let's say that only one person reads your book and it changes their life. Your book inspires them to leave an abusive spouse, start a business, quit smoking, adopt a child or run for president. Is writing your book worth changing one life? How many lives do you have to impact in order to make it worth your while? Where would we be if Alice Walker decided not to write The Color Purple? What if Malcolm X decided not to write The Autobiography of Malcolm X? What if *** decided not to write Who Moved My Cheese? Stop making excuses. Write your book.

3. I'm not a writer. – Just because you're not a writer today, doesn't mean you can't be one tomorrow. I wonder how many best-selling authors didn't think they were writers? Lee Jenkins, GET IT WRITE Writer's Circle guest speaker, didn't think of himself as a writer – but he refused to let that get in the way of writing Taking Care of Business: Establishing A Financial Legacy For The African American Family (Moody Press). He focused on what he is – speaker, financial advisor and minister - and used it to write his book. Today he is a writer. Stop making excuses. Write your book.

4. I can't do it by myself. – You don't have to. How many things have you actually accomplished by yourself – without the help of anyone else? Not many. Your ability to accomplish your goals is heightened when you seek and use the expertise and support of other people. The GET IT WRITE Authors Circle (formerly the Writer's Circle) is the perennial expert resource and support group you need to help you realize the goal of writing your book.

The GET IT WRITE Authors Circle will help you:
a. Establish personal relationships with publishing professionals
b. Write a book
c. Generate new ideas
d. Expand your resources
e. Write a better book
f. Meet other authors
g. Learn how to successfully navigate the publishing world
h. Receive continuous support to reach your goal
i. Develop marketing and promotions tactics
j. Complete your book faster
k. Stop making excuses

Stop making excuses. Write your book.

Tara Y. Coyt is the president of Coyt Communications ,CoytCommunications.com the creator of DOWNlo MARKETING and the guiding force behind the GET IT WRITE Author's Circle, I get to do what I enjoy most – help you build your empire! To book Tara contact Pro Speakers Bureau P.O. Box 7427, Atlanta, GA 30357-0427 Phone: 404.393-9792 Speakers@ProSpeakersBureau.com ProSpeakersBureau.com