Email Extortion: Here is What You Should Do
Scam Detector has been receiving several messages in the last few days about a frightening situation coming via email. There is an extortion message going around threatening recipients with the release of personal, intimate information about themselves recorded on their computers. Have you received an email sent from your own email address? One in which the hacker says he's been watching your online activities and asking you for a Bitcoin payment to avoid the blackmail? Let's take a look at how the scam works.
Watch the video below to see the Email Extortion Scam exposed:
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The scammer claims that has been recording all your activity online, including passwords of your bank accounts and visits on porn sites. The criminal then threatens to release the videos of you watching these pages and doing “related-activities” to all your family members and workmates, which he also detains through hacking your computer.
Victims get seriously scared as this can ruin lives and careers, especially when they see that the message comes from their own email address! Did you get an email like this?
Here is the full content of the extortion email (grammar mistakes included), then we'll explain how it was possible:
“Your account was hacked! Change the password right away! You probably do not heard about me and you are probably wanting to know for what reason you are receiving this message, is it right? I'm a hacker who cracked your email boxand digital devicesa few months ago.
You should not try to contact me or alternatively try to find me, it is hopeless, since I sent you a letter from YOUR hacked account.”
Then the criminal continues explaining how he supposedly did this:
“I've set up virus on the adult videos (porno) site and suppose you have visited this website to have some fun (you understand what I really mean). During you have been watching vids, your browser began functioning as a RDP (Remote Control) having a keylogger that provided me ability to access your monitor and network camera.
Next step, my software gathered all information. You wrote passcodes on the sites you visited, and I caught all of them. Surely, it's possible to modify them, or have already modified them. Even so it doesn't matter, my spyware renews it every time.
What I have done? I compiled a backup of your device. Of all the files and contact lists. I have managed to create dual-screen videofile. The 1st part shows the video you were watching (you have an interesting preferences, ahah…), and the second part demonstrates the movie from your own camera.”
Scary enough? He will then provide the call-to-action:
“What must you do? So, in my view, 1000 USD is basically a good price for this very little riddle. You will make the payment by bitcoins (in case you don't know this, try to find “how to purchase bitcoin” in Google).
My bitcoin wallet address: 1AFW5FexjJNz39xugnw2NRNgMqCHDJSnqx (It is cAsE sensitive, so just copy and paste it). Attention: You will have 2 days to make the payment. (I built in an exclusive pixel in this email, and at this time I know that you've read this email).
To monitor the reading of a letterand the actions in it, I utilize a Facebook pixel. Thanks to them. (Anything that is applied for the authorities may also help us.) In the event I fail to get bitcoins, I shall undoubtedly offer your video files to each of your contacts, including family members, colleagues, etcetera?”
How to Avoid the Blackmailing Email Scam
Well, you can rest now. In this day and age, when technology advances very fast, there is a software that can replace the email address you use to send messages with any address you want to show. It does NOT hack that email address, it just allows the sender to choose what the recipient can see, meaning where it's coming from. Esentially, if you send an email to your friend and want him/her to see that the message is coming from [email protected], well, you can do that. Criminals just used the same trick, using your own address.
Ignore the email and go ahead with your day. Nothing will happen to you. Do not respond and definitely do not send them this article.
Here is another screenshot of a scammy email:
Last but not least, watch out for another type of extortion, this time via phone: the Jalisco Cartel Scam Text.
Email Extortion: How To Report a Scammer
Warn your family and friends about the Email Extortion Scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
How To Protect Yourself More
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
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The account aided me a appropriate deal. I have been a little bit familiar of this your broadcast offered bright
transparent concept
I’ve been getting the “we’ve been watching you” emails for years. They do come “from” my email address. The most disturbing thing is they do actually have a partial password. Even though I don’t visit the sites they were threatening me with, what freaked me out was that the message came from “me” and they did have the main portion of my password.
Of course, I immediately changed all my passwords. And of course, nothing ever happened with their threats after years and years of getting them. Sometimes they’ll come in big numbers for a while, then I don’t’ get any for a couple of years, then they start again. I just delete and move on.
As far as I can tell, their threats are no threat at all. I haven’t been “exposed” and my computer hasn’t been infected. If these losers would put as much energy into earning a legit wage they’d be better off.
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You might try adding a video or a pic or two to get readers excited about everything’ve got to say.
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I met a person on LinkedIn and his email is [email protected]. Can I get the information about it, As I am in great need to know it all.
here is what i got:
You’ve been hacked!
Now we have all the information about you and your accounts:
+ all your logins and passwords from all accounts in payment systems, social. networks, e-mail, messengers and other services (cookies from all your browsers, i.e. access without a login and password to any of your accounts)
+ history of all your correspondence by e-mail, messengers and social. networks
+ all files from your PC (text, photo, video and audio files)
Changing your username and password will not help, we will hack you again.
Pay a ransom of $ 250 and you can sleep peacefully without worrying that all information about you and all your accounts, files and personal correspondence will not become public and will not fall into the hands of intruders.
Bitcoin wallet to which you want to transfer $ 250 1MaRdde6X7SGuoCdFNL2fmgpLomdx7peGC
If you do not pay until tomorrow evening, then we will sell all this information on the darknet, there is a huge demand for such information
Pay $ 250 and sleep well!
I got this exact email. The sender revealed a password that was familiar (but not my email password). I knew it was a fraud because I had not been on any porn websites and I also keep black tape on the camera lens on my computer. I discovered that the only place I had used that password was for youtube. Perhaps youtube’s security has been compromised. I changed that password right away.
Thanks for the good job you are doing.
Here is another idiot blackmailer sending me the following email below, with the subject title "You got Recorded":
Hey, I know your password is: Huckleberry2276
Your computer was infected with my malware, RAT (Remote Administration Tool), your browser wasn’t updated / patched, in such case it’s enough to just visit some website where my iframe is placed to get automatically infected, if you want to find out more – Google: "Drive-by exploit".
My malware gave me full access and control over your computer, meaning, I got access to all your accounts (see password above) and I can see everything on your screen, turn on your camera or microphone and you won’t even notice about it.
I collected all your private data and I RECORDED YOU (through your webcam) SATISFYING YOURSELF!
After that I removed my malware to not leave any traces.
I can send the video to all your contacts, post it on social network, publish it on the whole web, including the darknet, where the sick people are, I can publish all I found on your computer everywhere!
Only you can prevent me from doing this and only I can help you out in this situation.
Transfer exactly 1200$ with the current bitcoin (BTC) price to my bitcoin address.
It’s a very good offer, compared to all that horrible shit that will happen if I publish everything.
You can easily buy bitcoin here: http://www.paxful.com , http://www.coingate.com , http://www.coinbase.com , or check for bitcoin ATM near you, or Google for other exchanger.
You can send the bitcoin directly to my address, or create your own wallet first here: http://www.login.blockchain.com/en/#/signup/ , then receive and send to mine.
My bitcoin address is: 1AEb2hcPpxDs89AJojyySyiZdW4vdEumZN
Copy and paste my address, it’s (cAsE-sEnSEtiVE)
I give you 2 days time to transfer the bitcoin.
As I got access to this email account, I will know if this email has already been read.
If you get this email multiple times, it’s to make sure that you read it, my mailer script is configured like this and after payment you can ignore it.
After receiving the payment, I will remove everything and you can life your live in peace like before.
Next time update your browser before browsing the web.
Here is what i got from the email address: [email protected] – beware, is the same bullshit!
If you are not familiar with this, I will explain.
Trojan Virus gives me full access and control over a computer or other device.
This means that I can see everything on your screen, turn on the camera and microphone, but you do not know about it.
I also have access to all your contacts and all your correspondence.
Why your antivirus did not detect malware?
Answer: My malware uses the driver, I update its signatures every 4 hours so that your antivirus is silent.
I made a video showing how you satisfy yourself in the left half of the screen, and in the right half you see the video that you watched.
With one click of the mouse, I can send this video to all your emails and contacts on social networks.
I can also post access to all your e-mail correspondence and messengers that you use.
If you want to prevent this,
transfer the amount of $500 to my bitcoin address (if you do not know how to do this, write to Google: "Buy Bitcoin").
My bitcoin address (BTC Wallet) is: 39VFonbvp9yoWHLYydeiAPJMoLsW8Mazqu
After receiving the payment, I will delete the video and you will never hear me again.
I give you 50 hours (more than 2 days) to pay.
I have a notice reading this letter, and the timer will work when you see this letter.
Filing a complaint somewhere does not make sense because this email cannot be tracked like my bitcoin address.
I do not make any mistakes.
If I find that you have shared this message with someone else, the video will be immediately distributed.
Best regards!
here is what blackmail email i got:
FINAL WARNING
You have the final chance to save your social life – I am not kidding!!
I give you the last 72 hou?s to make the ?ayment before I send
the v?deo with your ?asturbation to all your friends and associates.
The last time you visited a erot?c website with young teens,
you downloaded and automatically installed the ?py software
that I created.
My program has turned on your c?mera and recorded the act
of your ?asturbation and the v?deo you were watching
while ?asturbating.
My software also downloaded email contact list and a list
of your Facebook friends from your device.
I have both the – Sorin.mp4 – with your
?asturbation and a file with all your contacts on my hard drive.
You are very ?erverted!
If you want me to delete both files and keep your secret,
you must send me the Bitcoin ?ayment.
I give you last 72 hou?s to transƒer the funds..
If you don’t know how to ?ay with Bitcoin,
visit Google and search – how to buy bitcoin.
Send 2,000 USD (0.1855361 BTC)
to this Bitcoin address immediately:
32bNVguLQbK4ke1fUMpa8eA9uoLbWPJYAY
(copy and paste)
1 BTC = 10,725 USD right now, so send exactly 0.1855361 BTC
to the address above.
Do not try to cheat me!
As soon as you open this Email I will know you opened it.
This Bitcoin address is linked to you only, so I will know if you
sent the correct amount.
When you ?ay in full, I will remove both files and deactivate
my software.
If you don’t send the ?ayment, I will send your ?asturbation v?deo
to all your friend and associates from your contact list
that I downloaded.
Here are the ?ayment details again:
Send 0.1855361 BTC to this Bitcoin address:
—————————————-
0.1855361 BTC
to
32bNVguLQbK4ke1fUMpa8eA9uoLbWPJYAY
(copy and paste)
—————————————-
You ??n visit the pol?ce but nobody will help you.
I know what I am doing.
I don’t live in your country and I know how to stay anonymous.
Don’t try to deceive me – I will know immediately – my ?pysoft is recording
all the websites you visit and all keys you press.
If you do – I will send this ugly recording to everyone you know,
including your family!
Don’t cheat me! Don’t forget the shame and if you ignore this message
your life will be ruined.
I am waiting for your Bitcoin ?ayment.
Anonymous H?cker
P.S. If you need more time to buy and send BTC,
open your notepad and write – 48H++ – and save.
This way you can contact me.
I will consider giving you another 48 hou?s before I send the v?deo
to your contacts, but only when I see you are
really trying to buy bitcoin.
i got the same/similar email yesterday it however had a address for me which is a old address i lived at 7 years ago.
This scammers are getting more sophisticated by the day. What software is use to commit this kind of scam. I’m finding it hard to believe this is actually possible.
I’ve gotten variations on these that include an old password I used to use (or sometimes with the first character accidentally cut off… D’oh!) I’m assuming the scammer obtained this information from one of the many recent data breaches and just used it to populate their outgoing messages in an effort to add realism to the scam. But it’s still nothing to worry about, unless you’re still using one of those passwords, in which case change them immediately.