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Beware of Phishing Emails

Beware of Phishing Emails

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We received a few reports from customers receiving emails with the subject line, “New Update on STR Email.” This is a phishing scam and was not sent by SRT.
 

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a cyber threat that pretends to be someone you know via email or text messaging. They want sensitive information from you like credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords.
 

How to Spot Phishing Scams

Look for typos and spelling errors. For example, if an email says, “STR Email” instead of “SRT Email” in the subject line, this is a red flag. Also, always look at the sender’s email address to see if it appears suspicious. Many phishing emails also have a sense of urgency to their message or contain offers too good to be true.
 
If you receive a suspicious email like this, please delete it right away and don’t click on any links. We’re here for you, and protecting your information is a top priority!
 

For more information on how to stay cybersafe, you can visit Cybersecurity | Ready.gov. We will also continue to share the latest tips and trustworthy resources, so visit us often.

SRT Celebrates National Cooperative Month

SRT Celebrates National Cooperative Month

It’s October, and National Cooperative Month is in the air. Every year as the daylight wanes and nights grow chilly, we reflect with gratitude on the philosophy that inspired our beginnings.

SRT became a cooperative in 1951, when the Verendrye Electric board saw a real need for telephone service in rural north central North Dakota. Since then SRT has grown into the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative.

Roughly 60 years later SRT evolved from telephone to broadband. Once again, our cooperative foundation allowed us to serve another real need: Bridging the digital divide and connecting rural communities throughout our territory with high-speed fiber.

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Cooperative Principles

  1. Voluntary and Open Membership
  2.  Democratic Control
  3.  Members’ Economic Participation
  4.  Autonomy and Independence
  5.  Education, Training, and Information
  6.  Cooperation Among Cooperatives
  7.  Concern for Community
 
 

As a telecommunications cooperative, SRT is committed to making our region an exceptional place to thrive for everyone. SRT’s fiber provides high-speed internet to cities, towns, and ranches and farms alike, creating fertile ground for business success and quality living.

When your kids are learning and growing for their best future, we’ll connect them at the speed of curiosity.

When you are building a business that forms the backbone of our region, we’ll connect you at the speed of ambition.

And when your artistic side is inspired by the beauty of North Dakota, we’ll connect you at the speed of imagination.

SRT is your cooperative. We will always evolve with technological and human innovation to ensure we always connect you at the speed of life.

Thank you for believing in SRT, and Happy National Co-op Month.

SRT and Verendrye to Co-Host Free Football Tailgating Meal

SRT and Verendrye to Co-Host Free Football Tailgating Meal

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SRT and Verendrye are sponsoring a free tailgating meal this Friday! The meal will be at the Velva vs. Bishop Ryan football game this Friday, October 7, 2022. October is National Co-op Month, so this tailgating meal is a great way to kick off the celebrations. The best part? It’s completely free to football fans attending the game. This delicious meal will feature homemade knoephla soup and chili. Supper is 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Velva Football Field, so make sure you head to the game early and take a night off from cooking!

September Tech Tip: Backing Up and Storing Data

September Tech Tip: Backing Up and Storing Data

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There are three basic ways to back up important documents and photos:

1.       External hard drives
2.       Flash drives
3.       Cloud based storage

Each option raises a few things to consider. External hard drives and flash drives are a one-time purchase that you place your documents or photos onto via a USB port. Storage size and price vary by brand, so it’s best to research based on your specific needs. Cloud-based storage often charges a monthly fee to house your photos, which are uploaded to the cloud via the internet or an app. Some examples of reputable cloud-based storage include Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, iDrive, pCloud, and OneDrive.

Since none of the options is perfect and all have drawbacks, consider using a combination of two or three options. Hard drives and flash drives have the potential to corrupt or fail over time, while cloud-based storage has the potential of being breached or the company shutting down unexpectedly. Having multiple back-up options such as a cloud-based and physical-based combination is your best way to ensure you always have access to your valuable information. Setting reminders or scheduled backup dates throughout the year minimizes the risk of losing information in the event of a device malfunctioning, getting lost, or being stolen.

August Tech Tip: Scam Prevention

August Tech Tip: Scam Prevention

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When choosing to make a purchase for service or goods online, here are some quick things to consider to protect yourself from falling victim to a scam:

  1. What is the general reputation of the company? Have you heard of them before? If you suspect it to be too good to be true, it likely is.

  2. Have they had security incidents before? A quick Google search can bring up useful information regarding a company. Checking a site such as the Better Business Bureau can help clear up any potential worry about a company’s reputation.

  3. Is their website secure? Does it use https in the web address?

  4. Is it easy to find a way to contact them? Do they have a customer support feature? Websites posing as legitimate storefronts often lack options for contacting them.

  5. How much information is the company requesting from you? To make a simple online purchase you should not need to provide personal details such as a social security number or bank account information.