[Misc] sextortion

[bha100]

Been getting a few of these emails lately, easy to understand how people can get scared by it, didn't bother me as i don't have a webcam, the password they gave was correct but one i've not used for a few years, after doing a bit of digging it seems that they may have got the details from a data breach at some point.

https://www.bitcoinabuse.com/reports/1QBfCvZUuA3fbXX9bHeeTpqzkYgikvhtXR


They gave a bitcoin address to send $900 to, anybody understand bitcoin? i googled the address, what is all that information and is it truly not possible to get money back if you've sent it to that address? if im understanding it correctly some poor bugger has sent money then in turn it been sent on again to another address

https://www.blockchain.com/btc/address/1QBfCvZUuA3fbXX9bHeeTpqzkYgikvhtXR

 

[shingle]

I'm always getting these, although they're starting to tail off, but I also don't have a webcam, so not worried.......I just delete them.

These people though are scum, can't imagine the number of unnecessarily terrified people who bite.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I have had some of these in the past. The password they picked up from me was quite a basic one that I would have used for a shop or listing with no money involved, so at least it doesn’t look like an important database’s security was breached. Scum nevertheless.

 

[macky]

Yea i had one too They seem popular at the moment

 

[vegster]

I'm always getting these, although they're starting to tail off, but I also don't have a webcam, so not worried.......I just delete them.

These people though are scum, can't imagine the number of unnecessarily terrified people who bite.

If only one in a thousand pay up that's a nice little income for the scumbags.

 

[Postman Pat]

Had a few, one was for a fantasy football site I used about 10 years ago, they are welcome to pick my team, might do better than me!

You can check your email address or a password here https://haveibeenpwned.com/

 

[symyjym]

Yep I had one of these, but it also managed to grab my email password the cheeky focker. That was my only concern.

Once you get one they multiply so even if people pay them, they will still keep getting those emails requesting payment. I just wonder how many people actually cough up.

 

[nwgull]

I was at a seminar about 10 months ago where an IT security expert discussed these emails and the potential security concerns. As above, there is nothing to worry about regarding the webcam video threat. What was advised however, was that if your email password is in anyway similar to the one quoted (which he believed became available on the dark web after a LinkedIn breach), that it should be changed completely and don’t be tempted to use a derivative or think that adding a few numbers or special characters will keep your account secure. Hackers will apparently use software to run a brute force hack, and having an existing password to base the combinations on makes things far easier.

 

[LlcoolJ]

You can see why some people would pay them but it's basically like the Nigerian Prince scam except preying on fear instead of greed.

Personally I couldn't care less if someone showed my porn browsing to anyone I know, and (although I don't have a webcam) the webcam thing is so obviously fake.

It's just a shame that the gullible get scammed but it always has been and it always will be.

Bottle of snake oil anyone? Buy some CDS futures, they're kosher? Voting for Farage? Believing what's written in The Daily Mail?

Stupidity will always be exploited by scammers for their own gain.

 

[NooBHA]

I have never had one. However, if someone asked me to send money or it would be all over the internet. I would tell them to go ahead but remember to send me all the Royalties due for the "airplay"

 

[Green Gull]

Had one of these a couple of weeks ago and they had my password almost correct with just a couple of numbers missing. I only noticed it from viewing the spam folder which is something I rarely do so I could possibly of had more. It was quite a long message in broken English demanding 975 dollars in bitcoin or a webcam video would be distributed to all of my contacts. I don't even have a webcam so I found the email quite amusing although the password breach was quite a worry as I use the same or similar for almost everything.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Justice]

Why would anyone even open a spam folder email?

 

[Pretty Plnk Fairy]

I got one but didnt pay up as im proud to masterbate to YouTube clips of katy hopkins and sir tommie Robinson

Regards
DR

 

[Peteinblack]

There were loads of these “we’ve been recording you watching porn, so pay up or we’ll publicise your sordid secret” emails late last year. I received several, my wife got a few, and at work, our IT department issued a reassuring email to all staff explaining that these emails should be ignored, except to change similar passwords.

There were also several reports in the national presss, these too emphasising that these emails could and should be ignored, as they were fraudulent.

Yet as someone above has said, it only needs one person, fearing public exposure, to pay-up, and these scummy fraudsters have made some money.

 

[Postman Pat]

Had one of these a couple of weeks ago and they had my password almost correct with just a couple of numbers missing. I only noticed it from viewing the spam folder which is something I rarely do so I could possibly of had more. It was quite a long message in broken English demanding 975 dollars in bitcoin or a webcam video would be distributed to all of my contacts. I don't even have a webcam so I found the email quite amusing although the password breach was quite a worry as I use the same or similar for almost everything.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

As post #8 above you should change your password for anything you wouldn't want hackers getting access to, email, banking etc...

That password is on a list somewhere and attached to your email address you run a real risk of being hacked.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I got one at my work email, although it didn't quote a password. Everyone else thought it highly amusing and demanded to know what I had been watching

 

[Green Gull]

Why would anyone even open a spam folder email?

Well luckily I did and it's led me to change my passwords so......

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Wrong-Direction]

They got the idea off a black mirror episode

Sent from my SM-A600FN using Tapatalk

 

[osgood]

ive had these emails recently too , and the correct password was quoted , but one that i only use for one account , which is my sky tv account ...

 

[TheJasperCo]

I started getting a few of them late last year. The first one was terrifying because they got my email address and a relatively recent password that I had used on many accounts, and the email landed in my main inbox too. I copied and pasted the content of the email and Googled it to check it was just a hoax. To be honest I've only got 88 or so Facebook friends and like nine email contacts, so it would hardly have inconvenienced me if they did have anything on me. Would love to know which data breach they got these details from.

A decent sticky note over my webcam is the way to go, to prevent any hackers watching you.