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Advice & More September 2013

Senior Moments

‘Phishing’ Pain

By Edward A. Joseph

I was aware of Internet scammers, so I looked over the email and quickly decided it was legitimate. The "quickly" part was a big mistake.

Phishing n. a scam by which an email user is duped into revealing personal or confidential information which the scammer can use illicitly.

The morning of the day I became a phishing victim was crazy. Workers had been making a bone-rattling din as they removed asbestos from my basement in preparation for the installation of a new boiler. When they finally left, I was in a good but distracted mood as I went online to check my email. One subject line immediately caught my attention: "Action Required: Payment Problem." It was purportedly from my cable company.

The message stated that there was a problem with my last payment and that "To ensure that your service is not interrupted, please update your billing information by Signing In. After a few clicks, just verify the information you entered is correct!"

I was aware of Internet scammers, so I looked over the email and quickly decided it was legitimate. The "quickly" part was a big mistake.

The payment screen offered the option of paying by credit card. I had previously been paying directly from my bank account, but since I received a "cash back" bonus from my credit card company, I decided to switch to this payment method.

The screen then requested me to verify the information I had previously entered by giving my account and Social Security numbers. Asking for my Social Security number should have been a red flag, but my distracted state of mind, my tendency towards carelessness, and my occasional impulsivity, congealed in my brain to short-circuit my better judgment.

It concerned me that after I clicked the "Send" button on the latest screen there was no confirmation of the transaction. With some sense of alarm, I called the cable company to find out if there was a problem. The representative informed me that they never ask for a Social Security number and that the email was not from them.

Terror then filled my careless, impulsive brain.

Luckily, I had discovered my error quickly. Nevertheless, the next few days were a whirlwind of phone calls, e-mails, and changed passwords trying to protect myself from future fraud.

After the dust had settled, I looked at the "video" of what had happened in my mind. When I was done beating myself up for what I had done, I realized that if I had just gotten up from the computer and taken a few steps away from it while asking myself, "Is what I'm about to do a good idea?" it is likely I would have called the cable company and checked why my original payment did not go through and then found out, of course, that it actually did go through. A few steps away from the computer would have saved me much aggravation and worry.

Being a phishing victim forced me in a way no other incident could have to confront my tendencies towards carelessness and impulsivity. I'm hoping the lessons I learned from foolishly revealing my personal information online will help me avoid future financial mistakes and eventually ease my "phishing pain."

To help ease your pain if you are ever a phishing victim, go to www.ftc.gov/idtheft/ and download the free publication Taking Charge: What to Do If Your Identity is Stolen.

 

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