Sextortion and your webcam
Sextortion is described by the National Crime Agency as being contacted by a hacked account of someone you do know where the communication feels unfamiliar or an unknown online account you don’t know.
The victim is quickly engaged in the offender sharing an image and/or other sexually explicit communications. This then progresses to a chat an online platform or game or other social media to a private platform such as an end-to-end encrypted messaging app.
The victim is then pressured or manipulated into taking semi-nude or rude photos or videos before being told that they have been hacked and the offender has access to their personal information, images and contacts (whether this is true or not)
The victim is then blackmailed into sending money or fulfilling another financial demand (such as purchasing a pre-paid gift card) having shared an image, or the offender sharing hacked or digitally manipulated/AI-generated images of the victim to make the threat of sharing them wider.
What to do if you are a victim of sextortion
Which? has recommended that if you have received a sextortion email, you should do this:
Don’t do what the scammer says – the message will create a sense of urgency and set short deadlines to rush you into deciding on the spot.
Even though most sextortion emails are fake, it’s worth running a full scan with up-to-date antivirus software to check for any hidden malware or spyware. It is noted that, “most antivirus tools can scan your files even while your device is offline. But it’s best to update your antivirus first while online, so it can detect the latest threats, then run a full scan”.
Seek support if you’re not sure whether it’s legitimate. Scammers exploit the socially taboo nature of the supposed content to isolate you from seeking advice about the issue or talking to family or friends or family.
Report the email as a scam to your provider – for example, via Google, Microsoft, BT, or Sky/Yahoo webmail.
You are also advised to “take action in your inbox -right- click the email (or select the three dots in the top-right corner) and select Mark as spam/scam/phishing. This is an important step, as reporting the message helps ensure similar emails are automatically moved to your Spam or Junk folder in the future – both for you and for other users of that provider.”
As well as doing what is advised above, you can also forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk .
Windows 10 scams
Which? has also warned of new scams involving Windows 10 and has helpfully suggested four ways that you can keep safe from these scams
- Phishing messages
Scam messages and emails could be sent out telling you to upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11 by following a dodgy link.
- Pop-ups
Random and unexpected pop-ups appearing on your computer should always be treated with caution.
- Free’ upgrades
Beware emails, text messages or adverts, offering hacks to get you a free Windows 11 upgrade. It is also noted that, “some of these scams may even claim you can be upgraded if your PC isn’t compatible with Windows 11, which isn’t the case”.
Is Facebook accessing your photos?
It is possible that you have may have inadvertently given Facebook permission to access your photos.
Which? advises doing the following to make sure that Facebook can’t access your photos:
You can cancel the camera roll access by doing the following: “Tap your profile picture or the menu icon and choose Settings & Privacy > Settings > Camera roll sharing suggestions”.
You can choose to make us of the Privacy Checkup tool: “From Settings & Privacy > Settings, choose Privacy Checkup. There are various sections to work through, including Who can see what you share and Your data settings on Facebook”.
Establish two-factor authentication (2FA): “Within the Settings & Privacy page, choose See more in Accounts Centre > Password and security > Two-factor authentication. Follow the instructions”.
Scam sharer tool
To learn more about how you can share scams and help to protect others from scams, please see here
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