An old email scam known as “sextortion” has evolved to include a new personalized element: the inclusion of a photo of the target’s home to make threats about publishing embarrassing videos more convincing. Several recipients have reported receiving these sextortion emails addressed to them by name and featuring images of their street or front yard, possibly taken from online mapping applications like Google Maps.
The messages claim to be from a hacker who has compromised the recipient’s computer and recorded video footage of them watching adult content using their webcam. The extortionist threatens to release the video to all of the recipient’s contacts unless a Bitcoin ransom, close to $2,000, is paid by scanning a QR code included in the email. The email even goes as far as to address the recipient by their full name and mention their street address, making the threats more personal and intimidating.
Recipients are given 24 hours to pay the ransom, or else the compromising videos will be distributed to their contacts, including friends and family. The message warns against replying to the email or sharing it with anyone else, stating that any attempt to do so will result in the immediate distribution of the embarrassing footage.
The scam email, presented as a two-page PDF attachment, includes typical sextortion elements, such as claims of malware installation on the recipient’s computer and the monitoring of their activities by the extortionist. Previous iterations of sextortion scams have involved the inclusion of passwords previously used by the recipient for online accounts linked to their email address.
Sextortion, even in cases where the threats lack physical leverage, is a serious crime with potentially devastating consequences for victims. The FBI advises against sending compromising images to anyone, regardless of their identity, avoiding opening attachments from unknown senders, and disabling web cameras when not in use to prevent potential sextortion attempts.
According to the FBI, many sextortion cases involve adults posing as teenagers targeting multiple victims. Anyone who believes they are a victim of sextortion or knows someone who is encouraged to contact their local FBI office or call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Vigilance and caution are key to protecting oneself from falling victim to such scams and safeguarding personal privacy and security.