EMAIL SCAM: Police in Spain warn of porn site ‘sextortion’ blackmail campaign

SPAIN’S National Police force has warned of a huge new blackmail campaign where web users get phishing emails that claim to expose web users’ supposed visits to porn sites unless they pay up in 24-hours – a technique police calls “sextortion”.

The campaign is given more credibility by including a password in the email that the users may previously have used.

The scam attempts to blackmail the unsuspecting victims by claiming to have already used their password to install spying malware on their computer.

Police said, “They claim to be in possession of personal intimate pictures or videos obtained through the computer’s webcam when the user was visiting pornographic sites and they demand payment in bitcoin or other virtual currencies within 24-hours to stop them from publishing them.”

The cybercriminals threaten to send the videos to the person’s “loved ones” unless they pay up.

A typical blackmail email reads, “I’m aware that XXXXXXX is your password.

You don’t know me and you’re thinking why you received this e mail, right?

Well, I actually placed a malware on the porn website and guess what, you visited this web site to have fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching the video, your web browser acted as a RDP (Remote Desktop) and a keylogger which provided me access to your display screen and webcam. Right after that, my software gathered all your contacts from your Messenger, Facebook account, and email account.

What exactly did I do?

I made a split-screen video. First part recorded the video you were viewing (you’ve got a fine taste haha), and next part recorded your webcam (Yep! It’s you doing nasty things!).

What should you do?

Well, I believe, $1400 is a fair price for our little secret. You’ll make the payment via Bitcoin to the below address (if you don’t know this, search “how to buy bitcoin” in Google).

BTC Address: 1Dvd7Wb72JBTbAcfTrxSJCZZuf4tsT8V72

(It is cAsE sensitive, so copy and paste it)

Important: You have 24 hours in order to make the payment. (I have a unique pixel within this email message, and right now I know that you have read this email). If I don’t get the payment, I will send your video to all of your contacts including relatives, co-workers, and so forth. Nonetheless, if I do get paid, I will erase the video immediately. If you want evidence, reply with “Yes!” and I will send your video recording to your 5 friends. This is a non-negotiable offer, so don’t waste my time and yours by replying to this email

The Nation Police in Spain has issued a special email address redesabiertas@policia.es, managed by National Police cybercrime specialists to report scam emails and they have revealed they receive around 100 reports of the scam every day.

To keep yourself safe online the National Police also advise…

1. Do not be alarmed or consider the threat as real

2. Do not make any requested payment

3. Not reply to the mail or engage in any type of conversation with the “extortionists”

4. Block and mark as spam the sender of the emails

5. Distrust any mail that may seem strange and of unknown origin

6. Do not “click” on links in the body of the received email

7. Do not open attachments sent from the received email

8. Renew your email, computer and computer applications password regularly and establish strong passwords

9. Keep the computer operating system and software regularly updated