Sextortion 2.0: Now With Creepy Pics of Your House!
A new variant of sextortion scams has emerged, where scammers not only claim to have compromising videos of the victim but also include photos of the victim’s home to increase fear and urgency.
What is the scam?
The scam starts with an email claiming the scammer has hacked your device and recorded compromising videos of you. They add a photo of your home, threatening to expose the videos unless you pay them, making the threat seem more real by leveraging personal information.
How does it work?
Scammers may gather photos of your home from public sources, such as Google Street View or real estate listings, or from data leaks. They use this personal information to create a sense of urgency and fear, demanding payment in cryptocurrency to prevent the release of fake compromising content.
How to avoid it?
- Do not respond to these messages or send any money.
- Verify the claim: Scammers do not have actual compromising videos; they rely on fear.
- Protect your data: Use strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and avoid clicking on suspicious links to prevent actual hacking.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your local authorities.
What to do if you fell for it?
- Do not pay the scammer. Paying does not guarantee the scammer will stop contacting you.
- Change your passwords if you believe your accounts may be compromised.
- Report the incident to the authorities and consider seeking support from a cybersecurity expert
Sample message:
- Email: "We have hacked your device and recorded explicit videos of you. If you don’t want us to send them to your friends and family, pay $1,000 in Bitcoin. Here's a photo of your home to show you we are serious."
More Questions?
Think You Might Be Affected by This Scam? Ask Our AI Assistant for Guidance 🕵️♀️💡
