You may have received an email similar to the one below requesting payment to resolve an alleged breach in your computer or email security:
Your account has been infected! Change your password right away!
You probably do not know anything about me and you are most probably wondering for what reason you are getting this particular message, proper?
I’m a hacker who cracked your email and system several months ago.
Don’t try to talk to me or alternatively find me, it is impossible, considering that I sent you this message from YOUR hacked account.
I’ve set up spyware to the adult vids (porn) website and suppose that you have watched this site to have fun (you know what I really mean).
During you have been watching these “great” vids, your browser began to act as a RDP (Remote Control) having a keylogger that gave me permission to access your monitor and web camera.
Afterward, my software program obtained all info.
You have wrote passwords on the sites you visited, I already caught all of them.
Surely, you can modify them, or have already changed them.
But it really does not matter, my malware updates it every time.
And what did I do?
I made a reserve copy of every your device. Of all files and personal contacts.
I formed a dual-screen video. The 1st section displays the clip that you were watching (you have got the perfect taste, huh…), the second part presents the tape from your own camera.
What exactly should you do?
Clearly, I believe, 1000 USD is basically a fair price for our small riddle. You will make the payment by bitcoins (if you don’t recognize this, try to find “how to purchase bitcoin” in Google).
My bitcoin wallet address:
[Bitcoin Address Here]
(It is cAsE sensitive, so just copy and paste it).
Important:
You will have only 2 days to make the payment. (I put an exclusive pixel to this email, and at this point I understand that you’ve read this email).
To monitor the reading of a letter and the actions inside it, I installed a Facebook pixel. Thanks to them. (That which can be used for the authorities may also help us.)
In the event I fail to get bitcoins, I’ll immediately give your video files to each of your contacts, such as family members, colleagues, etcetera?
The email above is known as a sextortion blackmail scam and should have been captured by your spam filter, however, some don’t and some of those that receive them actually make the payment requested.
The sextortion blackmail scam emails attempt to be more personal by using email spoofing or by referring to a password or phone number that the recipient may recognise.
The ‘From:’ and ‘Reply to:’ fields can be edited by the sender to display anything, making it easy to add an email address that may be recognised by the recipient, even though the email has not actually originated from it.
If a password or phone number is used that is recognised by the recipient then those have usually been obtained through a security breach where previously stored user details were kept, such as Yahoo (3 billion accounts were compromised) or Marriott (500 million accounts), LinkedIn (164 million account) etc.
Whilst you may frequently receive sextortion blackmail scam emails, it it possible to report them and, if you are based in the United Kingdom and receive a phishing or sextortion email you can report it to Action Fraud, if you were the victim of such a scam and lost money as a result of it then you should report it as a crime.
About Athena Forensics
For information on our digital forensic services or if you require any advice or assistance please contact a member of our team on 0845 882 7386 or via email on enquiries@athenaforensics.co.uk, further details are available on our contact us page.
Our client’s confidentiality is of the utmost importance. All correspondence is treated with discretion, from initial contact to the conclusion of any computer forensics investigation.
Our digital forensics experts are fully aware of the significance and importance of the information that they encounter and we have been accredited to ISO 9001 for 10 years.
Our forensic experts are all security cleared and we offer non-disclosure agreements if required. Our premises along with our security procedures have been inspected and approved by law enforcement agencies.
Athena Forensics do not disclose personal information to other companies or suppliers.
https://athenaforensics.co.uk/service/mobile-phone-forensic-experts/
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