Palos Park Woman Receives Creepy 'Sextortion' Email

PALOS PARK — A Palos Park woman was targeted by a “sextortion” email threatening that if she didn’t pay up, they’d release a video of her watching porn, police said. The woman received the email on Sept. 19. Recognizing it was a blackmail scam, she reported it to Palos Park police.

Email scammers have extorted millions of dollars worldwide in bitcoins by claiming to have evidence of victims’ pornography use after quoting their passwords. The extortionists threaten to release the video to victims email contacts. The scam is part of a wider trend of “sextortion” and webcam blackmail. Victims are instructed to send bitcoin payments to an email address. Below is an example of a sextortion email:

“I’m aware that <substitute password formerly used by recipient here> is your password,” reads the salutation.

You don’t know me and you’re thinking why you received this email, 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 an 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, coworkers, 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.

“I’m aware that <substitute password formerly used by recipient here> is your password,” reads the salutation.

“There are a number of shady password lookup services online that index billions of usernames, usually email addresses and passwords stolen in some of the biggest data breaches to day,” Miller said. “Right now we’re trying to figure out how the woman’s password was breached.”

To avoid becoming a victim of sextortion, the FBI offers the following tips:

• Never send compromising images of yourself to anyone, no matter who they are — or who they say they are.
• Don’t open attachments from people you don’t know, and in general be wary of opening attachments even from those you do know.
• Turn off [and/or cover] any web cameras when you are not using them.

~ Image via Shutterstock