the financial advice columnist who gave $50k in a shoebox to a scammer

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:At my law firm we have cyber security training twice a year. Two things have been burned into my brain as red flags - an urgency of time, and large sums of money.

There are other red flags of course, but those are the two that always pop out to me. My firm sends out phishing emails to us to check if we fall for them or report them as a phish alert (we are to hit the Phish Alert Report button on any email we're unsure of).

Two weeks ago I got an email from my manager telling me a client wanted me to review them and I was to click a link, enter my username and password and then would get a link to the survey. When I double-checked what the email address was it said Manager@LawFirmName.com. And I thought "but we have SO MANY managers here - they wouldn't have given him that email address, it doesn't follow our format." Then I realized his email didn't say which client it was. Never mind how weird it would be for a client to ask their attorney's legal secretary to review them.

So there are red flags. You just have to listen louder to them than whatever the person on the phone or in the email is telling you.


It really is not that difficult to recognize these. Always check the email address and also if it is out of the ordinary, never click on the link.

I still don't get how adults fall for the "purchasing gift cards and large withdrawals from their bank". It's always a scam.

Then again, I'm a person who has had my credit completely locked down since the Equifax breech in '17. If I need to, I simply unlock it.
Anonymous
I'm not sure if this person is an idiot, a liar or both. I suspect both. She's going crazy in the comments of her article.
Anonymous
Maybe she gambled it online or spent it on GOOP and then made up this crazy story without showing any evidence.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
It really is not that difficult to recognize these. Always check the email address and also if it is out of the ordinary, never click on the link.


IT person here. Email From addresses can be easily spoofed. The reason is that when email was invented 40+ years ago, it was by academics and no one could envision it would be used for commerical purposes, let alone scammers. I can easily send you an email right now with the From address of anyone in your company. The protocol used to send emails was not built with security embedded in it.
Anonymous
" I told him that I had two — checking and savings — with a combined balance of a little over $80,000. As a freelancer in a volatile industry, I keep a sizable emergency fund, and I also set aside cash to pay my taxes at the end of the year, since they aren’t withheld from my paychecks."

This absolute idiot gets paid to write idiotic advice columns for an entertainment magazine.

She parks her money in a low interest account while she accrues penalties for not paying taxes.
Anonymous
You are a fool if you fall for these. Im seen 3-4 like the article and had a half dozen others. The moment they break out the large money, the urgency, etc, you say I need to call my lawyer and we will call you right back. they always say you cant tell anybody, including lawyer. That's always the tell. And then you can just taunt, belittle and abuse them after that.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:At my law firm we have cyber security training twice a year. Two things have been burned into my brain as red flags - an urgency of time, and large sums of money.

There are other red flags of course, but those are the two that always pop out to me. My firm sends out phishing emails to us to check if we fall for them or report them as a phish alert (we are to hit the Phish Alert Report button on any email we're unsure of).

Two weeks ago I got an email from my manager telling me a client wanted me to review them and I was to click a link, enter my username and password and then would get a link to the survey. When I double-checked what the email address was it said Manager@LawFirmName.com. And I thought "but we have SO MANY managers here - they wouldn't have given him that email address, it doesn't follow our format." Then I realized his email didn't say which client it was. Never mind how weird it would be for a client to ask their attorney's legal secretary to review them.

So there are red flags. You just have to listen louder to them than whatever the person on the phone or in the email is telling you.


+1. Financial firm, regular phishing exercises.

The red flag for me (and maybe it’s because I am on the risk management side) - if there is ever any fraud suspected in your account, it is impossible to find out any details, even if you are a potential victim. No one will tell you anything, especially who is investigating and why. No one will tell you anything other to confirm whether or not you made certain transactions, and even then it’s likely they will give you a list of several which will include known fakes, so you would say “no”.

For anyone who didn’t know that, it is my PSA.
Anonymous
I'm not clicking on your scam link, PP, LOL!!!
Anonymous
I don't know why no one has mentioned yet that the CIA doesn't even operate in the U.S. and financial crime is not even within their scope. Scammers, next time fake being FBI.
Anonymous
Idk why it’s not posting, lol. But, good job not getting scammed.

It’s someone who screenshot fave magazine comment, which is hilarious. Basically author lives in $4m house and is a Roosevelt. “You think Amazon will white glove you to the IRS. Tell me you don’t pay taxes without telling me you don’t pay taxes.”
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:" I told him that I had two — checking and savings — with a combined balance of a little over $80,000. As a freelancer in a volatile industry, I keep a sizable emergency fund, and I also set aside cash to pay my taxes at the end of the year, since they aren’t withheld from my paychecks."

This absolute idiot gets paid to write idiotic advice columns for an entertainment magazine.

She parks her money in a low interest account while she accrues penalties for not paying taxes.


Yeah she’s also and heiress apparently and overplayed the significance of $50 to her. Reddit comments are very unfavorable towards her.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:" I told him that I had two — checking and savings — with a combined balance of a little over $80,000. As a freelancer in a volatile industry, I keep a sizable emergency fund, and I also set aside cash to pay my taxes at the end of the year, since they aren’t withheld from my paychecks."

This absolute idiot gets paid to write idiotic advice columns for an entertainment magazine.

She parks her money in a low interest account while she accrues penalties for not paying taxes.


Yeah she’s also and heiress apparently and overplayed the significance of $50 to her. Reddit comments are very unfavorable towards her.


The reddit thread on this is fantastic.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:

Would definitely read a column by this person.
Anonymous
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