Written by Jeremy Dixon

(Based on a fictional character.) 

Phishing scams are a type of cybercrime where criminals try to trick you into revealing sensitive information, such as your passwords, credit card numbers, or Social Security numbers. They do this by sending you emails, text messages, or social media messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank, government agency, or well-known company.

I have been the target of several phishing scams in the past, including voice phishing, spear phishing, smishing, and social media phishing.

Voice Phishing

Voice phishing, also known as vishing, is a type of phishing scam where criminals call you and pretend to be from a legitimate organization. They may try to trick you into giving them your personal information or even money.

One time, I received a call from someone claiming to be from my bank. They said that there had been suspicious activity on my account and that I needed to verify my identity. They asked me to provide my account number and Social Security number. I knew that this was a scam, so I hung up on them.

Spear Phishing

Spear phishing is a type of phishing scam that is targeted at a specific person or organization. Criminals may research their target in advance in order to make their emails or text messages more believable.

I was once the target of a spear phishing scam when I was working as a human resources manager. I received an email from someone claiming to be from the CEO of the company. The email said that the CEO was on a business trip and needed me to wire a large sum of money to a foreign bank account. I knew that this was a scam, so I contacted the CEO to verify the request.

Smishing

Smishing is a type of phishing scam that is carried out via text message. Criminals may send you a text message with a link to a malicious website or ask you to reply with your personal information.

One time, I received a text message from someone claiming to be from my bank. The text message said that my bank card had been deactivated and that I needed to click on a link to reactivate it. I knew that this was a scam, so I deleted the text message.

Social Media Phishing

Social media phishing is a type of phishing scam that is carried out via social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Criminals may send you a direct message with a link to a malicious website or ask you to provide your personal information.

One time, I received a direct message on Facebook from someone claiming to be from a well-known company. The message said that I had won a prize in a contest and that I needed to click on a link to claim my prize. I knew that this was a scam, so I ignored the message.

Protection Tips

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from phishing scams:

• Be suspicious of any unsolicited emails, text messages, or social media messages, especially if they ask for your personal information.
• Do not click on links in emails, text messages, or social media messages unless you are sure they are safe.
• If you are unsure whether a message is legitimate, contact the sender directly using a known contact method.
• Keep your software up to date, including your operating system, web browser, and security software.
• Use a strong password manager to create and store unique passwords for all of your online accounts.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all of your online accounts whenever possible.

My Story

I was tired after a long day of work, so I didn’t really pay attention to the email when I saw it. The subject line said something like “Urgent: Update your accountI clicked on the link in the email without thinking, and I was taken to a login page that looked almost exactly like my bank’s website.

I entered my username and password, and then I was prompted to enter my two-factor authentication code. I did that too, and then I was taken to a confirmation page that said my account information had been updated successfully.

I didn’t realize that I had been the victim of a phishing attack until the next day, when I checked my bank account and saw that a large amount of money had been transferred out. I immediately contacted my bank, but it was too late. The money was gone.

I was devastated. I had lost a lot of money, and I didn’t know how I was going to get it back. I felt so stupid for falling for such a simple scam.

I filed a police report, but the police didn’t have any leads. The scammers were careful to cover their tracks.

I’m still trying to recover from the financial loss, but I’m also trying to learn from my mistake. I know now that I need to be more careful about the emails I open and the links I click on. I’m also going to change all of my passwords and enable two-factor authentication on all of my accounts.

I’m sharing my story because I want to warn others about the dangers of phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated, and it’s easy to fall victim to one, even if you’re tech-savvy.

Here are some tips to help you avoid falling victim to a phishing attack:

• Be careful about the emails you open. Phishing emails often come from addresses that look similar to legitimate email addresses, but they may have a slight difference, such as an extra letter or number.
• Don’t click on links in emails. If you’re unsure whether an email is legitimate, go to the website directly by typing the address into your browser.
• Enable two-factor authentication on all of your accounts. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter a code from your phone in addition to your password.
• Be careful about what information you share online. Phishing scammers often use personal information that they’ve gathered from social media or other websites to make their emails more believable.

If you think you may have been the victim of a phishing attack, contact your bank or other financial institution immediately.