What would you do if you received an email from someone claiming to have hacked your computer and recorded you via your webcam while you were engaged in watching porn, then threatening to send the video to everyone in your email and social media contact lists if you don’t pay a ransom? Would you pay the ransom? Even if you’ve never viewed porn, what if they made the same threat to reveal the private details of all your emails?
This type of email is being circulated to people and has been reported to Safe Communities Portugal.
These sorts of emails are not to sent to individuals by name and the details of what you have supposed to have watched are never shown in the email. In other words these are a phishing attempt to scare you either into paying money or providing personal data in a phishing attempt.
Never pay up or reply – simply delete and block sender.
Some people have reported that they received a version of the email which includes a real password they’ve used in the past. Does this mean that they should be concerned?
In these cases it is still a scam, but you should be concerned that your password has been compromised. Often this happens not because someone has hacked into your computer but that the password was obtained through an account which you have say with Yahoo or Amazon etc which has been hacked into in the past. Research suggests over 500 million passwords hacked in this way. The password in the email was likely one of them.
If it is still an active password for you, the scam email should be a big wake-up call that you need to ensure you are using unique and secure passwords for every one of your accounts. Change the email and ensure that you do not use the same password for multiple emails.
Here is an example
“THIS IS NOT A JOKE – I AM DEAD SERIOUS!
Hi perv,
The last time you visited a p0rnographic website with teens, you downloaded and installed software I developed.
My program has turned on your camera and recorded the process of your masturbation.
My software has also downloaded all your email contact lists and a list of your friends on Facebook.
I have both the ‘Info.mp4’ with your masturbation as well as a file with all your contacts on my hard drive.
You are very perverted!
If you want me to delete both the files and keep the secret, you must send me Bitcoin payment. I give you 72 hours for payment.
If you don’t know how to send Bitcoins, visit Google.
Send 2.000 USD to this Bitcoin address immediately:
38iiASSTZ16ptCeUxgKVqWtt9DwaHU3t2P
(copy and paste)
1 BTC = 3,580 USD right now, so send exactly 0.567862 BTC to the address provided 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 pay in full, I will remove the files and deactivate my program.
If you don’t send the payment, I will send your masturbation video to ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES from your contact list I hacked.
Here are the payment details again:
Send 0.567862 BTC to this Bitcoin address:
—————————————-
38iiASSTZ16ptCeUxgKVqWtt9DwaHU3t2P
—————————————-
You саn visit police 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 it immediately – my spy ware 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 payment.
If you need more time to buy and send 0.567862 BTC, open your notepad and write ’48h plz’.
I will consider giving you another 48 hours before I release the vid.
Anonymous Hacker”