Scareware and Sextortion Scams Explained

[Roxy]

Scareware and sextortion scams are forms of email based extortion that rely on surprise, fear, shock and urgency to trick victims into sending money. These criminal email messages falsely claim that the sender has hacked your computer, infected it with malware, or gained access to your webcam and personal files when they haven't. The goal is to scare you into believing you are compromised when you are not.

In sextortion scams the scammer typically threatens to release embarrassing photos videos or personal information unless a ransom is paid to stop the release within a short deadline. Payment is usually demanded in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin within 24-48 hours. These claims are entirely fabricated. The scammer does not have access to your device files, camera or private content, and no hacking has occurred.

Scareware can also involve fake threats from supposed law enforcement agencies accusing you of crimes and warning of arrest unless you pay money. These messages may appear convincing but are completely fake and fraudulent.

In all cases these scam emails are sent out in bulk to thousands of email addresses at once and rely purely on bluffing and empty threats. The correct response is to ignore and delete the fraudulent message. Paying money to the scammer does not stop the scam and can lead to further financial demands.