I Was (Almost) an IRS Phishing Victim Idiot

Sitting in my e-mail inbox this morning, daring me to click on it, was a message from the Internal Revenue Service. I'm supposed to be getting an extra-special stimulus refund along with all the other Americans who filed taxes, I thought to myself while excitedly clicking on the link in the message.

Sure enough, all I had to do was click on a link, provide information, including my debit card account so that they may deposit my $620.50 refund, and I'd be sitting on some unexpected dough to help stimulate my nation's desperate economy.

Well, what an idiot I was. Despite the fact I was an editor in the technology publishing sector for 11 years of my post-college life, I fell face first into the hands of the phishing trap. Despite the fact that I have edited numerous articles in phishing and have detected other phishing attempts I have received, I clicked. I clicked with vigor, too, desperate for my money that I won't even be spending on books.

Once at the fake site, which, as phishing requires, looks exactly like the IRS site, I read the letter telling me about my refund and where to click to get the process under way. And, oh yeah, threatening criminal prosecution if I input false information. Well, then, it

be real.

I input my filing status and the amount of my federal refund. Then I clicked "continue." Once at the next site, my eyes fell on the words "Credit Card Number" followed by a box. At that moment, Firefox popped up with a warning I had never seen -- most likely because I have never fallen for these before. And in the moment after that, it became suddenly very clear.

I felt mild embarrassment, then, after getting over it and laughing a little inside, went in search for answers. At the IRS site, you can find out when you'll get your money and how much you'll get.

And if you get an e-mail like this, you can forward it to the IRS to let them know.

I'm supposed to get mine in two weeks. And I won't be buying books with it.