Hello Reader,

It wasn’t just a good day, it was a GREAT day.

I was clear-headed, sharp, uber-productive.

I was flying through my to-do list, and doing (IMHO) my best work, when I made a quick pivot to dispatch some emails.

One email was from HR, announcing a change to the vacation policy.

What? That’s interesting.

Without hesitation, I click on the attached PDF to see if it was good news or bad.

And just like that… I had been phished.

I knew that clicking on a suspicious attachment could leave my computer vulnerable to malware and a host of other dangers.

But the attachment WASN’T suspicious – it was from HR.

But of course it wasn’t.

Thankfully for me, this phishing scam was an educational trap laid by our IT department.

I really didn’t think I would fall victim to a phishing attack. I was too smart, too clever, too skeptical, too sophisticated.

Except for that time I wasn’t.

The truth is we are all vulnerable to fraud and scams.

We’re all human, so we all make mistakes, have vulnerable moments – and as I learned, it only takes a moment to let the fraudsters in.

If you’re looking for a fascinating-horrifying story about how a smart person got pulled into an awful fraud, check out this story in New York Magazine…

👉 The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger​

Slam the Scam! 👊

Last Thursday, March 7th, was the Social Security Administration’s Slam the Scam Day. I find that branding a little silly, but it’s a good reminder to be prepared and think about your vulnerabilities.

​Here’s the SSA’s Slam the Scam handout – some good reminders.

One of the most important things to do here is simply be aware. Remind yourself there are a LOT of bad actors out there, and be skeptical of ANYTHING unsolicited that seems even the slightest bit off.

It’s like my dad likes to say… just because I’m not paranoid, doesn’t mean the whole world isn’t against me.

Don’t be paranoid, but be cautious and skeptical!

(And don’t put $50,000 in a shoe box and hand it to a stranger.)

Best,
Dave

PS: Here’s a New York Times follow-up article on the shoebox fraud and some ideas on how to protect yourself.