The NJCCIC received incident reports indicating that the well-known sextortion email scam is again circulating. Some reports noted that the threatening message was included in a PDF attachment named after the target rather than in the body of the email. The targeted individual’s phone number and home address are included in the bolded first line of the attachment. This information can be easily found in public records or through compromised personal data due to data breaches. The fraudulent scheme claims that malware was installed on the target’s device and secretly recorded webcam footage of the recipient engaging in intimate activities. The targeted individual is then threatened with the release of compromising or sexually explicit photos or videos to contacts and their social media platforms if a Bitcoin payment of approximately $2,000 is not made in “one day.” The cybercriminal also claims to have embedded a specific pixel to identify when the email was read, starting the 24-hour countdown.

Recommendations

• The NJCCIC recommends users educate themselves and others on this and similar scams to prevent future victimization.
• There is no indication that these threats are credible; therefore, users are advised to refrain from sending funds and disregard these emails.
• Avoid clicking links, opening attachments, responding to, or acting on unsolicited text messages or emails.
• Search for and report the Bitcoin addresses included in the scam email to the Bitcoin Abuse Database.
• Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the FBI’s IC3, and the NJCCIC.