terrible scam
Internet scams seem to be lurking everywhere, but unfortunately, there are some scams in particular that are very successful at separating people from their hard-earned money.
This scam comes around every few years, and chances are someone you know has fallen victim to it without telling anyone.
This scam first came to light about 10 years ago and resurfaced in 2020. Now, cybercriminals are back at it, spreading their deceptive tactics far and wide.
Just last week, one of my viewers received a threatening email and forwarded it to me. She said she was scared and didn't know what to do.
The scammer's modus operandi is to claim to have accessed the victim's email account and to have installed software that records their phone screen and face. They then threatened to release risqué photos that appeared to have been taken while the victim was viewing pornography.
You cannot access the website unless you pay the hefty sum of $1,506 in Bitcoin.
Let me make one thing clear: this is a scam. However, it's important to understand how it works to protect yourself.
First, while cybercriminals do purchase usernames and passwords from the dark web, having this information alone does not give them the authority to install software on your device.
However, they can deploy malware on a computer by tricking a user into clicking on a malicious link or by providing remote access through a convincing phone call posing as technical support.
Additionally, some victims have reported receiving emails containing screenshots of faces allegedly taken while downloading video games or pirated software. Again, it's all part of the scam. These victims also happened to have downloaded pirated software and video games.
I captured the image when I installed the program.
Images and email addresses are now available for purchase on the dark web. Thankfully, there are ways to tell if an email is legitimate or a scam.
A quick Google search often reveals the truth. Scammers are lazy and tend to reuse the same email template or send it as an image.
Copy the suspicious email and paste it into the search bar to find results that reveal the scam for what it is.
If you feel threatened by an email scam, don't hesitate to take action.
Stay alert and learn about the latest scams on the internet.
Report this scam and others to the FBI Cyber Tip Line: https://tips.fbi.gov/home
