Blackmail emails

[porkers]

Have received several ‘blackmail’ type emails, to the email address I link to here, plus telling me that they know my password, which is also the password I use here. They’ve demanded a ‘payout’ in bitcoins of quite a large sum, otherwise they’ll ‘expose’ me via social media and email contacts. They claim to have control of my PC via their installed malware. Up to now I’ve ignored it, because they haven’t yet come up with any form of evidence.
I HAVE changed my password here. Just thought I'd pass it on.

[cicciobuki]

If they really had your password they'd already have locked you out of your account, i think. They're most probably bluffing.

It is indeed wise to change your passwords when something like this happens. (and of course never use the same password for different services, especially the one of your email)


Edit: an interesting article on this topic:
https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...tortion-webcam

[LiamA]

Those are scams. I get them too. They say they hacked my webcam but my monitor doesn't have a webcam and I don't have webcam attached to my computer.

[Don Kinslow]

I, too, have received blackmail emails demanding payment in bitcoins. The emailer claimed to have my password and included it in the email. I recognised this password. It was one I used over ten years ago on a long defunct social media site. It turned out that this site was hacked around ten years ago, a million passwords stolen, and recently they had been put up for sale. Consequently these blackmail emails were being sent out internationally. As with similar cases, the blackmailer claimed to have recorded from my webcam - a device which I do not have.

[pharoahegypt]

I've had the same thing several times, usually giving me a deadline of 48hrs before they'll "destroy your life" and show my contacts my browsing history, etc.... I've replied once just to tell them to f right off, but since just deleted them without even worrying.

Like another reply said, if they had the power you'd be locked out by now already. Most of those pop-over threats can also be shut by using alt-ctrl-del too... Only the very real ones cause you any problems; & you'll be in no doubt at all when one of those strikes.

[buttsie]

Though the tactic is the same - get a response through fear
- the story changes every so often

Story contains a useful site to check if your email is doing the rounds

Have i been pwned? is a site where you can enter an email address and get a list of data breaches where your email address was disclosed to attackers.

enter your email address at Troy Hunt's https://haveibeenpwned.com/ site
to see what data breaches your account credentials were included in.

Adult Site Blackmail Spammers made Over $50K in One Week

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/new...k-in-one-week/

PS

Bottom line with all communication received on any device

- if you dont know who is sending it dont respond

Even when you do Trust a sender - think twice - dig below the surface
Too many scammers hide behind cloaked addresses / phone numbers
to get under your guard

How to Identify Email Spoofing

https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Email-Spoofing




Top 10 scams by amount lost
Delivery method

TYPES OF SCAMS

Attempts to gain your personal information
Buying or selling
Dating & romance
Fake charities
Investments
Jobs & employment
Threats & extortion
Unexpected money
Unexpected winnings

https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/about-s...cam-statistics

[GailFan]

I've had one of these. Absolutely nothing happened. They have bought a job lot of passwords from somewhere, and are mass emailing targets to get a bite. They do have your password, but they also have thousands of others, hence they haven't locked you out (plus, they don't really know what site your password is for). Needless to say, beyond that they have nothing on you.

Don't reply, don't pay them, and change your password.

[Rodster363]

I've received a few of these too. Very creepy when they actually quoted a current password in use.

As others have said, change passwords, don't reply, delete and move on. Change passwords regularly is wise. A pain, but wise.

[Frovo]

That's the latest version of the Nigerian scam.

Anyone here who remembers the old "hitman" mails?

[73north]

I've also had one of these.
zero happened.
just ignore and change your password and do a malware search