As you know, this has happened to me - good to know the authorities are
on to it, but there is probably not much they can do apart from sending
this advice.
Cheers,
Gordon
South Yorkshire Police Alerts
South Yorkshire Police Alerts Logo <https://www.sypalerts.co.uk>
Action Fraud (NFIB) <https://www.actionfraudalert.co.uk>
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Extortion Scam
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*<https://www.actionfraudalert.co.uk/images/site_images/41100_password_extortion_VisaV_2.png>
Cyber criminals send victims their own passwords in extortion scam*
Cyber criminals are attempting to blackmail unsuspecting victims by
claiming to have used the victims' password to install spying malware on
the victims' computer. The criminals claim they’ve recorded videos of
the victim watching adult material by activating their webcam when they
visit these websites. What makes this scam so convincing is that the
email usually includes a genuine password the victim has used for one of
their online accounts. We believe criminals obtain the passwords from
data breaches.
*What to do if you get one of these emails?*
Don’t reply to the email, or be pressured into paying. The police advise
that you do not pay criminals. Try flagging the email as spam/junk if
you receive it multiple times. Perform a password reset as soon as
possible on any accounts where you’ve used the password mentioned in the
email. Always use a strong, separate password for important accounts,
such as your email. Where available, enable two-factor authentication
(2FA). Always install the latest software and app updates. Install, or
enable, anti-virus software on your laptops and computers and keep it
updated.
If you receive one of these emails, report it to Action Fraud’s phishing
reporting tool. If you have received one of these emails and paid the
ransom, report it to your local police force.
*/Message Sent By/*
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)
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Neighbourhood Alert <https://www.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk> Cyber
Essentials <https://www.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/CyberEssentials>
Please note that this message was sent by Action Fraud (NFIB) and that
Action Fraud (NFIB) does not necessarily represent the views of South
Yorkshire Police Alerts or other Information Providers who may send you
messages via this system.
This e-mail communication makes use of a "Clear Image" (gif) to track
results of the e-mail campaign. If you wish to turn off this tracking
for future e-mails, you can do so by not downloading the images in the
e-mail itself.
