Fraud!
Last Friday, I was phished.
This woman, who ordinarily can smell a scam a mile away, fell hook, line, and sinker for a professional looking email that led me step-by-step to an online shakedown. Somewhere along the way I began to put two-and-two together, disconnected from the phone, and ran to the bank. Had I not come to my senses, I would have lost an enormous amount of money.
Oh, No!
This experience resulted in a number of consequences:
Art Credit: Readers Digest. For more information on phishing in a Readers Digest article, click here.
I didn’t write a blog post last week.
I spent the weekend in shock, scanned help wanted ads for a job to pay back the loss, and waited for the Monday morning “all clear” signal from the bank that would assure me the money was safely where it was supposed to be.
As you might imagine, Monday was technically a happy day but, actually, my body collapsed, and I could feel the trigger I had held at bay over the weekend full force.
Without a computer for six days so Local Tech could clean it out, I discovered many of the functions that needed cleaning were no longer installed once I retrieved it from their care. (It’s like going to hospital and coming home without your appendix.) First off, I was sidewinded to learn that my password wouldn’t work. Then I had to figure out how to renegotiate and reinstall everything Local Tech dispensed with during cleaning.
With two bank accounts now closed and two new ones opened, I spent the rest of the week notifying auto-payers and auto-withdrawers of the changes.
Needless to say it was not an easy week but, I’m happy to report, that I’m running on a full tank of gas again!
What’s the Message?
I share this story with you because I believe there’s a message in it somewhere.
Maybe it’s simply sharing the fact that online scams are getting more and more sophisticated -- so be alert, watch out, and as with all things, take care of yourself.
Maybe it’s my false assumption that my torturous past made me immune to scams – I’m too hypervigilant to be taken in by something so silly, yet so dangerous – not!
Maybe I need to examine the possibility that my past actually makes me a target – I’ve certainly been good friends with Denial frequently over my lifetime.
Whatever the lesson may be for me, there may be a lesson in there for you, too. I hope you will be extra careful not to be fooled online, or any place else for that matter. My goal is to research the psychology of scams (why do smart people get hooked?) and write an article that will be published in the New York Times (ha, ha, that’s my lifelong goal). So if you’ve been phished, let me know your story. Or tell me what message you take from my experience. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Self-Care
Some quick anti-phishing guidelines:
Never click a link or call a phone number that accompanies an email. They often lead you right into the lion’s den. Some scammers use texts, so check them carefully too.
While many email scams look unprofessional, some look exactly like the company they’re pretending to be. Scammers have even found ways to embed their email below the “real” company email so it looks like it’s coming from a legitimate source.
A note at the bottom of an email or text with a phone number “in case you want to dispute the charge” is a red flag.
Even if you think you’re talking to the real McCoy, never let them take control of your screen for whatever “very important” reason they tell you they need it.
Never, ever, ever transfer money, mail funds, send gift cards, or otherwise give away your hard earned funds to a so-called company who has contacted you out of the blue. You will never see it again.
If you have been phished, report it to the local police, the Federal Trade Commission, and the FBI. It’s unlikely they can recover your funds, but you’ll be adding to a database that may eventually curb phishing or, at the least, make it harder for phishers to find gullible people (like me).
Click here for more information about internet fraud.
Thank You!
Thank you to all who submitted writing to DW’s 2023 Writing Anthology. We look forward to another moving collection of writing by people with dissociative disorders.
Groupeasy
We’re online with Groupeasy! If you are DW subscriber but haven’t yet accepted your invitation to Groupeasy, contact Debby by clicking here. She will make sure you get an invitation pronto! Take advantage of the monthly calendar, document uploads, messages, and more. Links to workshops and events are on the calendar in Groupeasy.
Social Hangout This Wednesday
Our Social Hangout is Wednesday, September 21st from 2-3 pm Eastern. We hope to see you there!
🕊
Treat your password like a toothbrush; don’t let anyone else use it and get a new one every six months.
Clifford Stoll
Lyn