Hacked! Who Me?

 

HACKED! WHO ME? 
LESSONS LEARNED!
A WORD TO THE WISE!

By Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, April 16, 2026 

This Nugget should be a warning to everyone as to how easy it is to become a victim of a hacker and what happened because of it. As a form of a disclaimer, let it be known that I am not a novice when it comes to computers. I have repaired and replaced the inner workings of a CPU base unit on computers. 

I use an AVG, a computer program for decades, it is a free “antivirus program that is “trusted by experts” or so it says on its website. I have never had any issues with it until April 2026. Let me draw you a picture. 

I am working on my desktop computer as usual, when a pop-up window appears and it is from AVG which is NOT unusual. This window informs me that there is a new extension to the program available that would protect you from outside sources being able to hack into your computer or words to that effect. It sounded good, something that could protect you, and the price was reasonable. Since I trusted AVG for decades, I figured why not. That was my first mistake. See my notes at the end as to what I should have done. 

I purchased the add-on program and followed the online screen instructions to install it and activate it. Nothing I tried would work. The program would not load and activate. There was a telephone number for technical support included on the instruction page on the screen. I called the number and “thought” I was talking to a Tech Rep for AVG, my second mistake, I “assumed” I was taking to a Tech Rep. 

We talked and he was walking me through the set up but the program simply would not work. He asked me to hold on while he conferred with his “team.”  When he returned, he asked if I would authorize him to access my computer remotely. This was not the first time that a real Tech Rep has requested this, and, in the past, it has never been an issue. I did not question his request and gave him access. It took time but he said he found the issue that was preventing the program from loading, I had paid for the program TWICE and he had to remove one of the charges and refund the amount. The amount he refunded was $50.00 and he said the amount refunded was $5000.00 and that I needed to return the $5000.00 immediately. I was gullible and followed his instructions, my third mistake. The lesson I learned was that as soon as anyone starts talking about money, RED FLAGS should immediately go up! In this case, I did not recognize what was happening. 

You do not need to know all the garbage that happened, suffice it to say, it was all designed to build trust in what he was doing. What he was really doing was attempting to access my bank account. I eventually realized that (1) I was NOT talking to a Tech Rep from AVG. (2) he was attempting to access my bank account. (3) because he had access to my computer, he “may” have accessed my bank account and based on what he had said, he had. 

I told him that I had enough and was going to hang up. He said that he would lock me out of my computer because I owed him money for the program that he said I was charged TWICE already for. I IMMEDIATELY hung up and called my bank within minutes, and the bank froze my account. 

He did what he said he would do; he locked me out of my desktop computer. I tried at least five times and could not open the computer – period! I immediately went to my bank and spoke with a representative at the bank and explained my problem. 

As for the locked computer, I eventually used the startup to RESET the computer, and it worked and I was able to access the computer data. THE PROBLEM: This too was time-consuming because after a reset, you must reload programs, passwords, and browser icons, all time consuming. 

The bank said that no one had accessed my account yet and agreed that the hacker mostly likely had access to my banking information. The ONLY IMMEDIATE remedy was to close out my account and open a new account, same routing number but different numbers for my checking and savings accounts which I did. That is when the real nightmare began. Let me explain. 

Like most people, I engage in “automatic” banking, meaning that I set up accounts such as utility and phone services paid directly by the bank to the vendor. It works great with little work on my part to maintain. I now had different numbers from the numbers that my accepted vendors had. I had to go into each account either online or verbally by phone to update the account numbers. This was time-consuming but not a huge issue. 

Even though I updated the vendors, for whatever reason, several bills WERE NOT PAID automatically as they had been for months if not years before. I had to go back to the drawing board and make sure everyone had the correct information. PROBLEM. I set the accounts up as I needed to do so at the time. I failed to keep a list of EVERY account for which I had set up automatic bill paying. That created a problem because if you do not remember everyone, one or more will slip through the crack and you will fail to properly notify them of the change in account information. That is what happened. SOLUTION: Always maintain a list of accounts that you will need to notify whenever your banking information changes! It is much easier to work from a list than from your memory, I know this because…  This also occurs whenever you lose a credit or debit card. Vendor accounts need changing and working from a list instead of your memory is priceless! 

PROBLEM: I made purchases and paid bills other than automatic payment type actions. Four transactions fell between the date that I initiated that purchase/payment and the date the hacker hacked into my computer which was the same date that I changed my bank accounts. These purchases/payments were in limbo, and the bank declined them and rightfully so. It took separate actions to rectify the payments. As for the purchases, I had to re-purchase the items, but I first had to be sure they did not ship them. I have one purchase expected this week. My bank had declined it. As such, I had to wait to see if it would arrive. It did not and I repurchased the same items for a second time. 

The first “should have done!”  Instead of clicking on the popup window, I “should have” gone to the source, the AVG homepage to verify that the popup window was from them. Why did I not do this? Because I trusted the AVG brand and frankly, no warning sign was set off in my head that would have required such a step. Lesson learned! In the computer world, just because the right logo appears, does not necessarily mean it is from the source you believe it to be from which was in this case, AVG. 

For the record, I have spent HOURS fixing the problems the Hacker had created. The ONLY good news is that he gained nothing from his actions. To everyone that has read this far, I pray that you take this warning seriously and be forever on your guard when you are working on your computer. TRUST BUT VERIFY!

Life Lessons Worth Learning

 

LIFE LESSONS WORTH LEARNING
By Jim “Gymbeaux” Brown, April 14, 2026

A word of explanation.  I wrote the following as I normally would. It was written to my grandson who was graduating from college; a graduation that circumstances kept from attending – my loss! The lessons do not apply to just college graduates; they would apply to anyone in any situation.  After I wrote what I thought was important, I requested ChatGPT to convert what I had written into a text style that FogHorn Leghorn might have written or have said. It gives the reader the image of an old rooster (me) passing on his well—gained knowledge to anyone in the barnyard that would listen. That is what I wanted to achieve. and I think ChatGPG and Foghorn did it. I hope you enjoy reading this Nugget and take away the lessons I hope it provides.

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I say, I say, lemme tell ya somethin’, BUD—there’s been a question rattlin’ around this ol’ noggin of mine for decades now, and I mean DECADES! Especially these last twenty years or so, it’s pecked at me like a woodpecker on a tin roof. If I had the chance—now listen here—if an 80-year-old Gymbeaux could sit down jaw-to-jaw with a 20-year-old Jim, what ONE MESSAGE, I say ONE MESSAGE, would I pass along that’d actually stick? You didn’t ask me, BUD—but if you had, well sir, here it comes loud and clear!

Back in the mid-1990s—yes sir, back when folks still read newspapers instead of peckin’ at phones—I came across a couple of studies that said fewer than 5%—I say FIVE PERCENT—of professionals ever read a single book about their own line of work. Now son, I was knee-deep in trainin’ real estate agents back then, and I’m here to tell ya, that 5% sounded downright generous! Most of ’em wouldn’t read a sales book if it came with a free steak dinner. Sales, relationships, motivation, contracts—might as well have been written in hieroglyphics to ’em.

Now picture this, BUD—imagine your heart doctor, scalpel in hand, about to tinker with your ticker… and he ain’t cracked open a book on surgery since he got his diploma. I say, that ain’t just bad—that’s “write your will” bad!

Now ol’ Gary Keller—sharp fella, co-founder of Keller Williams Realty—used to say, “You’re either knowledge-based or ignorant-based… choose wisely!” And I say, BUD, that man was right on the money!

So here’s the deal: if you wanna be a success—anywhere, anyhow—you best get yourself in the habit of readin’ NON-FICTION about your craft. I set myself a goal—three books a month, every month—and I stuck to it for decades. Don’t you tell me you ain’t got time, BUD! You got time—you just ain’t managing it right!

Now here comes the second nugget—lean in close, son—MAKE YOURSELF IRREPLACEABLE! I say, IRREPLACEABLE! You do that, and you’ll never be lookin’ for a job a day in your life. Your boss’ll look at you and say, “That boy’s worth more than two men and a pickup truck!” and they’ll bend over backward to keep you happy. And if you’re workin’ for yourself? Why BUD, you’ll soar higher than a hawk in a tailwind!

And another thing—bein’ satisfied? That’s a dangerous place, I say DANGEROUS! Stay curious! Stay adventurous! Get out there and see the world—even if it’s just a walk through a national park. There’s more out there than your front porch, son!

Now if I’d had the chance to tell my younger self all this, I would’ve laid it out just like I’m layin’ it out for you. Take it for what it’s worth—but I say it’s worth more than a stack of fancy diplomas! Most of what really matters—you learned before first grade. That’s right—your mama and daddy, they were your first and best teachers. Truth, right and wrong, good and evil—that’s the foundation, BUD!

So congratulations on your graduation, BUD! I tip my hat to ya! I hope one day this sticks in that brainpan of yours and you pass it down to your kids and grandkids. And if you’re wonderin’ where I’ve said all this before—well sir, it’s all tucked inside that book I co-wrote with Lou Vickery—Where Are You Going?

Now go on out there and make somethin’ of yourself, BUD—I’ll be watchin’!