A “hacker” claims in an email that he made compromising recordings via webcam.

The blackmail email that we have often reported on . Specifically, this concerns emails in which it is claimed that the user was secretly filmed through the webcam while consuming porn. The material will be sent to all contacts unless a certain sum of a few hundred euros is transferred via Bitcoin.

First of all: These videos do not exist! The blackmailers play on the users' fear that “this could be possible”!

This is what the current version of the email that is currently being sent often says:

“You're probably wondering why you're receiving an email from your own address, right? I'll explain everything to you.

I am a hacker and I hacked your devices a few months ago.
I set up a virus on an adult website you visited and I found your device. It just occurred to me that you had a very particular taste in “pornography.”

So I abused your device to convert it to server RDP (Remote Control) and guess what I could do?

I simply recorded a split screen video with one side of your browser on the "website" and the other your webcam recording you...you're having fun.
This is how I was able to send you this email from your compromised address. I then created a copy of your contacts, photos, passwords, bank details and much more.

I promise you that I won't bother you after you pay because you are not my only victim.
This is the code of honor for hackers. Don't blame me, everyone works... Do you want to know what you can do?

I think 750 euros is a good price for our little secret.
You pay via Bitcoin (if you haven't heard of it, search "how to buy bitcoins" on Google). My Bitcoin wallet address:

1Dc6BXz1Tcxnnu6EWgjm8wQwiqRcZBNPrN

(Case sensitive, copy/paste is better)
Important You have 72 hours to make the payment.
(I have a tracker in this email and I know you opened it.) The video and the copy of all this data are already on my site and if you do not cooperate, I am obliged to send the video to your most important contacts, yours family, your colleagues, on Facebook, Twitter and much more...
To prove my good faith, here is one of your many compromised passwords:**"

“I got an email like that too! How do they know my password?”

In recent years, databases from various companies have been hacked again and again, and the contents of the databases have been published on various relevant websites and on the darknet.
These databases often contained “only” the full name and email address, the passwords sometimes encrypted, but sometimes even unencrypted. Those blackmailers now make use of these databases: They write to a bunch of users who they can find in the databases and try to blackmail them “at random”.

That's why it's important not to use the same password everywhere and to change passwords regularly!

One user reported to us that the password was correct, but he changed it months ago. This can be used to thwart blackmailers and would-be hackers, as the leaked databases are usually several months old.

What do all these emails have in common?

Although the text of the emails varies again and again, they all have certain things in common:

  • Someone claims to have access to the computer
  • The user allegedly accessed porn sites
  • The blackmailer has webcam footage of it
  • The user should pay a certain amount in Bitcoins

One of the best proofs that this is just a scam :
Many users said they didn't have a webcam at all!

Fact check

These blackmail attempts are not new. Similar emails appeared last year and the police also warned about this scam.

Bitcoins are still very popular – even among cybercriminals. Such emails are usually sent randomly to different people (with or without a personal salutation). No proof of the existence of the allegedly filmed material is provided. This means it cannot be clearly proven whether the blackmailers really have video material of the victims or not.

So far there has only been one similar case in which a user was actually blackmailed .

However, you can never rule out infection with malware. Because when you visit dubious sites, it can always happen that you get malware. Good virus protection protects users from this potential danger.

“Should I pay the blackmailer?”

It is not advisable to pay the blackmailer. In addition to not relying on a criminal's word, any user who gives in to such a demand qualifies as a potential "permanent victim." to report such emails and other blackmail attempts immediately to the nearest police station .

The LKA Lower Saxony has also published some links where you can check for yourself whether your own email address appears in leaked databases:

But be careful: The pages do not claim to be complete, and leaked databases often only become known months or even years later, so unfortunately you cannot be completely safe if your own email address does not appear in the databases.

Result:

Such emails are pure attempts at fraud and the blackmailer does not have any juicy video footage of his victim.

However, you can never completely rule out this possibility, so it makes sense to definitely report the blackmail to the police !

Tip: If you want to be on the safe side, you can cover your device's camera with a small sticker and remove it if necessary. Good virus protection should still be a high priority.

 

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )