The latest, greatest attempt to get money out of people on the Net has been making the rounds in different variations, the essence of which are threats to release a webcam video of misbehavior committed while watching pornography online. I bothered to check the latest one out because it actually was addressed to me with the correct email address AND my old LinkedIn password in the subject.
Fortunately, that was a unique one not recycled due to my personal distrust of any social media service. The 2012 hacking of LinkedIn exposed 117 million passwords which were sold off to various criminals looking to commit cybercrime. They did get around to notifying users to change their passwords (I did long ago) but tried to conceal the size of the security breach.
Here is the text, minus my personal information. Best thing about this is I haven’t used a webcam in fourteen years…
I will directly come to the point. I am aware [password] is your pass word. More to the point, I know about your secret and I have evidence of it. You don't know me personally and nobody hired me to examine you.
It is just your misfortune that I found your blunder. Actually, I actually installed a malware on the adult video clips (adult porn) and you visited this web site to have fun (you know what I mean). When you were watching videos, your internet browser initiated functioning as a Rdp (Remote desktop) that has a key logger which provided me with accessibility to your display screen as well as web cam. Right after that, my software gathered all of your contacts from messenger, facebook, and mailbox.
Next, I gave in more time than I should've looking into your life and made a two screen video. 1st part displays the video you were viewing and 2nd part displays the video of your web camera (its you doing dirty things).
Honestly, I am willing to forget all information about you and let you continue with your regular life. And I am going to give you two options which will accomplish this. The two option is either to ignore this letter, or simply just pay me $ 1900. Let us investigate those 2 options in more details.
First Option is to ignore this e-mail. Let's see what is going to happen if you opt this path. I will definately send your video recording to your contacts including family members, co-workers, etc. It will not save you from the humiliation your self will face when friends and family find out your dirty details from me.
Second Option is to pay me $ 1900. We’ll name this my “confidentiality tip”. Now let me tell you what happens if you choose this path. Your secret remains your secret. I'll delete the recording immediately. You move on with your daily life as though nothing ever occurred.
Now you must be thinking, “I'm going to report to the cops”. Without a doubt, I have covered my steps in order that this email can't be traced back to me and yes it will not stay away from the evidence from destroying your health. I am not seeking to dig a hole in your pocket. I am just looking to get paid for the time I placed into investigating you. Let's assume you have chosen to create all of this disappear completely and pay me my confidentiality fee. You will make the payment by Bitcoins (if you do not know this, search "how to buy bitcoins" in google)
Amount to be sent: $ 1900
Receiving Bitcoin Address: 1DDduNYswFXGpnZW1onqZQs62G5v4s5kHH
(It is CASE sensitive, so copy and paste it carefully)
Tell no-one what you will use the bitcoin for or they might not sell it to you. The process to acquire bitcoins may take a couple of days so do not delay.
I have a special pixel within this email, and at this moment I know that you have read through this e mail. You now have 1 day to make the payment. If I do not receive the Bitcoin, I will, no doubt send your video recording to your contacts including friends and family, coworkers, and so forth. You better come up with an excuse for friends and family before they find out. However, if I receive the payment, I will destroy the video immediately. It's a non negotiable one time offer, thus kindly do not waste my personal time and yours. Your time is running out.
Other than being poor and not having engaged in the behavior described, I must be the perfect target for this kind of blackmail… Or the person doing this is lazy and gambling on the high odds that enough people do commit this kind of behavior to fall for the con job.
I can see some people being terrified by the threat and am posting this a public service for those who’ve become alarmed after opening such an email.
Can you imagine the productive societies we’d have if criminals put this much effort into doing good? Rather tragic, in my opinion.
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