Glastonbury Cops Issue Blackmail Scam Warning

GLASTONBURY, CT — Glastonbury police Wednesday were warning residents about a scam that could be perplexing — and potentially blackmailing — to residents.

Police said that, over the past few days, the GPD has received multiple calls regarding e-mail messages containing pictures of residents' homes accompanied by threats that their computers are "infected with spyware."

The threatening e-mails "may contain personal information and are filled with grammatical errors and exaggerated or unrealistic technical claims," police said. The e-mails usually mention the use of "tracking pixels" and claim the "ability to detect if the email is shared," police said.

The scammers claim to have installed "spyware" programs like "Pegasus" on a resident's device and claim to have complete access to the a computer, including camera and microphone. The scammers then threaten to distribute "compromising material" to a resident's contacts unless a payment is made.

Typically, payments are requested in Bitcoin via a kiosk in an amount less than $2,000, police said.

The residents are pressured to act quickly, usually within 24 hours," police said.

Police added, "Never pay the scammer. No credible agency asks for a payment in crypto currency or gift cards. The pictures of the victim’s houses are usually copied from open sources like Google Maps street view to further intimidate the victim," police said.