Someone trying to exploit me from a porn video I might have watch?

Hey, I have no shame in this regard, so them sharing a video with me jacking off or something pretty much nothing to worry about. Furthermore, whatever shame I do have is certainly not worth giving 1900$ to a con artist. Posting this sh*t here actually feels like I’m doing more to fight them than anything else I could possibly do.

Overall, I actually don’t think they have anything other than some PW I use for websites I don’t care for the fact they even have a log in.... crazy times though, I feel bad for the people who might pay this out.... oof

Email I received:

Spoiler:

First line is them showing me a PW I use on some sites...

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, $1900 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:
yadayadayada
(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 immidiately. 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.

Lutero

I've gotten the same. It was an old password for a forum that no longer existed. The scammer is just running a mass emailer with a bunch of harvested data like that. They don't even know who you are or if your email actually works.

Ignore it.*

I’ve gotten two of those emails with passwords I recognized. One of them was definitely from an old Zappos account that I haven’t used in years they were hacked several years back.

* The email about having a video of you is bullsh*t. What IS concerning is that one of your various accounts may have ben breached. Check out www.haveibeenpwned.com to see if any of your accounts have been breached. Also be sure to use a password manager and don’t reuse passwords.

Pleasantly surprised this wasn't a spam post.

Paladin Tom is 100% on the ball here. Check to see if your accounts have been breached, and I'd say change most of your passwords anyway, even if they haven't, just to cover your bases.

Yeah this just a spam scam. Use a password manager and just delete the email.

all pro tips guys. keep up the work.

And going forward, don't leave your webcam connected when you're not using it, or tape over it if it's built into your laptop.

I just got this email tonight. It had a password so old that I can't remember what it was for.

Honestly, the writing in the email is so bad I would never have believed it, even before this thread.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Honestly, the writing in the email is so bad I would never have believed it, even before this thread.

I’ve heard it claimed that scam emails intentionally include atrocious grammar and spelling in order to weed out anyone skeptical enough about it that they may not fall for later parts of the scam.

ruhk wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

Honestly, the writing in the email is so bad I would never have believed it, even before this thread.

I’ve heard it claimed that scam emails intentionally include atrocious grammar and spelling in order to weed out anyone skeptical enough about it that they may not fall for later parts of the scam.

Truth.
I mean, if the concept of Microsoft cold-calling to inform someone their MacBook has a virus isn't enough to give them pause then they're ripe for the picking and it's just a question of how bold to get.

ruhk wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

Honestly, the writing in the email is so bad I would never have believed it, even before this thread.

I’ve heard it claimed that scam emails intentionally include atrocious grammar and spelling in order to weed out anyone skeptical enough about it that they may not fall for later parts of the scam.

I’m not really sure this influences me. My bias was that most scams come from Russia or somewhere else in the world where English isn’t their first language. It would make sense to me that their grammar would be awful.

Rezzy wrote:
ruhk wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:

Honestly, the writing in the email is so bad I would never have believed it, even before this thread.

I’ve heard it claimed that scam emails intentionally include atrocious grammar and spelling in order to weed out anyone skeptical enough about it that they may not fall for later parts of the scam.

Truth.
I mean, if the concept of Microsoft cold-calling to inform someone their MacBook has a virus isn't enough to give them pause then they're ripe for the picking and it's just a question of how bold to get.

I have received this call, apparently from India. I told the guy he belonged in prison; he argued with me, and refused to break character until I hung up.

what you absolutely need to do, is shut up and dance

Kitboga had a great run last year messing with a scam call center in India, he had them on the line for 36 hours over a couple weeks, playing multiple characters.

ruhk wrote:

Kitboga had a great run last year messing with a scam call center in India, he had them on the line for 36 hours over a couple weeks, playing multiple characters.

The hero we need, not the one we deserve.

I started watching his videos and then noticed a few odd choices in his on-screen iconography and I don't have the emotional energy to investigate if it's just internet meme edgelordy grab-bag of reaction gif happenstance and bog standard ignorance or if Pepe the frog was casually slipped in because 'Hell Yeah it's about ethics and stuff."

*Shrug*
Can't fault the way he messes with scammers though.

I know early on he used Pepe for a graphic card to hide sensitive info, but that’s the only thing that stood out to me and he stopped using it a while ago. He normally tries to stay apolitical in his streams but I watch semi-regularly and have caught several instances where he slips and complains about the current administration or other world events. He’s fairly religious and comes off as a little sheltered but from what little I’ve seen I’m not concerned about his politics and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. The amount of patience and compassion alone that he shows is way beyond anything I’m capable of.

It's entirely possible that the video was years old. The Google just queues them up once you've watched one without any apparent rhyme or reason. Thanks for the impressions! Makes me feel a little better.

I spent a few weeks earlier in the year scrubbing through Kitboga's videos. Funny stuff, but it also serves as excellent warning material, and eye-opening for me, a tech-savvy person. I can definitely understand how some people get conned by these types of calls.

Check in with your loved ones, and make sure they know that no legitimate business or governmental organization will ever demand that they buy gift cards for the caller. Or, for that matter, demand that they open a web browser to any web page (e.g. any of the various remote control software sites).