This isn't the usual fake buyer scam we deal with so often on this blog, but I've been getting a lot of these emails lately and I felt it was time to post a warning to help others.
The scam type is called 'ransom scam'. The scammer typically will say they have incriminating photos of you via malware they were able to install on your computer, etc. Then they ask for money before they 'release the photos'.
Here is an example of what I've been getting a bunch of lately from scammers. It lists an actual previous password of mine (which I will obviously not show in the example below) but one of these scam emails to you will actually display a password of yours.
Here is the thing: they haven't likely installed any malware on your computer. How did they get your password? Likely from one of the many many data breeches many online companies have experienced. They did not get it from your computer. And I'm hearing online that the password is likely pretty old - so if you are someone who never changes their password AND/OR someone who uses the same password for various things online - it is time to CHANGE that behavior! There are software programs out there that protect and help you manage many different passwords now... use one of them.
I could tell the password the scammers are using with me was one of my old passwords, no longer in use. But you can see how this scam could work on a lot of vulnerable people.
Don't reply to these emails, don't click on anything... except the delete email button.
But it IS a good reminder to change up your passwords periodically and don't use the same one for everything.
Okay - here is the actual text of one of the many I've been receiving:
From: Save Yourself [SaveYourself07@1741.com]
Subject: You got recorded - [actual password listed here]
Hi, I know one of your passwords is: [actual password listed here]
Your computer was infected with my private malware, 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 to all your accounts (see password above), full control over your computer and it also was possible to spy on you over your webcam.
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 and this email(s) was sent from some hacked server.
I can publish the video of you and all your private data on the whole web, social networks, over email of all contacts.
But you can stop me and only I can help you out in this situation.
The only way to stop me, is to pay exactly 1000$ in bitcoin (BTC).
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: www.paxful.com , www.coingate.com , www.coinbase.com , or check for bitcoin ATM near you, or Google for other exchanger.
You can send the bitcoin directly to my wallet, or create your own wallet first here: www.login.blockchain.com/en/#/signup/ , then receive and send to mine.
My bitcoin wallet is: 1Nq84HeDmd2JGyRtjqh32QRG4zoSrp8bdL
Copy and paste my wallet, it's (cAsE-sEnSEtiVE)
I give you 3 days time to pay.
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!
Mail-Client-ID: 4679663290