I got an email from my mom's email address this morning that was clearly spam and looked to include her whole contact list as recipients. So, I emailed her that it might be a good idea to change her password and make sure her virus protection program is running.
Oh gawd! She calls and leaves a message at 8am that she doesn't know how to change her password. We finally just connected a bit ago. "Don't you know my password? you did my taxes" No.....the tax program I use has nothing to do with your aol account. I thought it would just be easier if she gave me her current aol password and I log into aol and change it for her than trying to talk her through it over the phone. But, of course she doesn't know her aol password. So, I had to repeat to her 3 or 4 times, "then just sign in aol like you always do and I'll try to help you figure out where to click to change your password." OMG. Again, just sign in like you always do! (her password is saved on her computer, so she just always clicks sign-in).
Then I finally said - is there a link "forgot your password"? - just do that. So she does and it pops up something like "do you want to reset your password?" and she repeats it to me and says "no, I don't think I want that, right?" UMMM Yaaaaa!! That's the whole point of this conversation, LOL. Then we have to go into a 2 minute discussion on what new password she should use. JUST PICK SOMETHING, ANYTHING! "Well, I have one I've been using off and on for other stuff - is that one ok?" Sure, go for it. (Banging head on desk)
So, she puts in the new password and I tell her to log out and try signing in again to make sure it works. "It didn't work" Did you type in your NEW password?" Oh ya, that might work. Then she calls me back to ask what the email said so she could let some of her friends know not to open it. Then she calls me back again to ask "what about her saved favorites?" I said are they gone? Changing your password shouldn't have anything to do with that. She got all confused and said "well, I'm just not going to use them anymore". What?! I still have no idea what she was talking about.
I need a drink and I don't even drink!
Hahaha... sounds like Mamas and technology :)
ReplyDeleteHey, This mama's knowledge of technology is way over her kids' heads. But, it's nice you help her, just don't drink no matter what.
ReplyDeleteAt least your mother HAS an email. Mine can't even turn on the computer.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd rather she didn't even have email LOL. I can't even handle trying to explain Facebook to her, which she also has. "how do you delete people's posts after you've read them?" You don't, they just scroll down as the new posts show up. "Well, I don't want them to stay there". LOL. Then she got the idea that she would get a laptop or ipad to take to her boyfriends house so she could get her email while there. I tried SO many times to explain to her that if she is at her boyfriends ( or even at her house) she would need to know the login and password to get into his network, because more than likely his internet is locked so just anyone can't access it, just like hers is at her home (which she doesn't know the password for either). She could not understand that knowing her boyfriends email password wouldn't work or that she just couldn't turn on her laptop or ipad and instantly get internet. So, then she thought maybe she'd get an iphone. Oh my sanity!
DeleteLOL I keep trying to talk my mom into getting a computer, maybe I'd better rethink that ....
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why I keep a list of hubby's passwords. He never remembers them so at least one of us knows how to access accounts that he gets logged out of!
ReplyDeleteI wrote down her new password on my list of passwords I keep ;)
DeleteI have had the same conversation with my mom over the phone many times. You would think I would learn but no I gave her a digital photo frame for Christmas. I have kicking myself ever since lol
ReplyDeleteWe did that one year too - big mistake, haha!
DeleteMy mother has always been one that is technology challenged by choice. Her computer is full of adware by the 2nd week, and full of viruses by the 2nd month. Very frustrating to me, because I've told her not to click on any link sent via email or messages from strangers... easy enough, but she still does it. The fun coincidence was that yesterday she was entirely locked out of her account, and I had to reset the password best I could. She had put in a recovery email address for an email address she doesnt remember having, hence, doesnt have the password for. I tried resetting that one, and it lead to another dead email... oh, fun fun! :)
ReplyDeletethat's what I told my mom about her probable virus - she is always getting and forwarding on those group type emails with cute pictures, quotes, etc. And every time she has a problem and we tell her that is likely the cause (since she rarely does much else on her computer) she says she'll stop reading and sending those emails, but she never does, LOL.
DeleteThis is so me and my kids, it is a sad note.
ReplyDelete