E mail hacked ?

Forward it straight to: [email protected] ....

I got an email that quoted one of my old passwords and told me I’d been seen in porn sites and they had webcam evidence of me “doing dirty stuff “ (their words). I obviously hadn’t been but it unnerved me that they had accessed a password. I deleted the email and changed all my passwords immediately. It did make me laugh at the time. Definitely don’t respond because that confirms the email as “live”. Don’t worry too much.

DO NOT RESPOND!!! And did they address you with: "Hi" followed by no name? This always indicates that they're sending these things out generally and randomly, so you shouldn't worry, but it's always good to up your online security. This happened to me, too, about a week ago, and it IS scary and upsetting. I changed my password (not a bad idea anyway) and bought some more anti-virus software. I will investigate Google OS. Thanks for that tip, Granddad1943.

NEVER answer that kind of e-mail. By doing so, you might well be giving a competent hacker access to your computer.

Even if there are no files that would cause you embarrassment if they were published, you don't want them accessing your bank account!

Let's face it, if these scammers had gathered any significant details from the OPs device they would have used those passwords or banking pin numbers etc without informing the user involved.

In that, they would have taken money from any bank account that the scammers had access to or ordered goods with passwords they had obtained without the person suffering the fraud knowing, and been on their way.

This is a scam that is being played out on people the fraudsters feel may be vulnerable to being "frightened" due to age or disability and will, therefore, pay up on what is in all probability an empty threat.

These people can gain many thousands of email addresses by purchasing them cheaply on the dark web and then sending out these threats in vast blocks worldwide. As stated if only one in many thousands "coughs up" the fraudsters make a good living.

Another thought should be, if these scammers really had hacked into the OPs computer or other device, the usual practice is to lock that device and only when money is paid to the hackers is the device unlocked.

Think about it.

I have had the one about porn sites too, more than once. The sender claimed to know my password, and it is a password I use, but not for email - only for signing up for newsletters. I imagine the spammer got my details from a mailing list, and as you say, edsnana, the email is just an attempt to extort money. I use Gmail, which has a very effective spam filter, and I’d advise anyone getting variants of this email to put it in ‘spam’ or ‘junk’ - the most common names for a folder which is monitored by the email provider. This gives them they evidence they need to ensure that as many dodgy emails as possible arefiltered out of your inbox in future, and other people’s as well.

A great ideas to share details on here, since I agree it’s sometimes hard to tell they’re not genuine, and we can all help each other identify such ‘phishing’ and to take appropriate action.

Here’s a link to a helpful article about this issue - it’s a US site but computers are the same the world over, so that isn’t an issue.
www.lifewire.com/what-and-why-spam-email-1173993

Think about it. If someone could stand invisibly at a supermarket checkout queue and whisper into each shopper's ear as they waited, "I have been watching you and I know what you have been up to! Put £10 into the unmarked collecting can on the windowsill over there or I will get you into a lot of trouble!", they would get a surprising number of "catches" and go home richer. That is what these blackmail scammers are doing - sending bulk emails to a lot of people and putting the wind up those who have been watching porn and are afraid to report the scammers in case they get found out themselves. If you get one of these scams, don't just bin it, forward it to your email providers so that they can collect evidence against them.

And don't reply to it however angry you are. That tells them that they have a live address which they can target again in the future.

Report it to the police and Action Fraud

petalmoore But can the email supplier monitor folders that you have made yourself, that are only on your computer? That would be as invasive as a hacker. Surely they can't do that?

Had a very disturbing email a few days ago saying that unlessI paid a huge amount he /she would release videos of me watching porn to everyone.. -exactly the same as you edsnana. Again they used part of an old password I used a long time ago-and that IS what scared me most.I deleted the email in spite of threats and just hope that nothing bad will happen. Am widowed so maybe should try and do a virus check myself.,

This whole thing is toxic and criminal, and is very worrying to normal people like ourselves. I just delete anything I don't like the look of.

As others have said, NEVER REPLY OR RESPOND TO THESE EMAILS, or any kind of phishing or spoof emails.
If you reply, you will alert the scammers to a live email address. They will sell your proven active email address around the world!
In this case, you must report it to to the Action Fraud Team in London. Forward the email to [email protected]
Then go online and complete an attempted fraud report at Action Fraud.
It’s vital you do this.
Action Fraud can track down the perpetrators and bring their websites down. They can warn organisations and vulnerable people about the scam. They can also advise you what to do next.

trendygran Nothing bad will happen. That old password won't get them into your account now. They have bought an old list of stolen passwords and are "flying a kite" to see if anyone still using them is feeling guilty about watching porn and will pay up. That doesn't apply to you, so don't worry.

It is always a good idea to change your passwords frequently, though.

I have had a text sent at 00.37 this morning from Santander (allegedly) saying that my online banking has been disabled and suggesting that I go into a branch to reactivate it or click on a link in the text.

Has anyone else who uses this bank had a similar text?

I checked and the online banking hasn't been disabled but I will report it to the bank so that they know about it.

Ignore it

With Gmail and I believe other email providers, a sender only has to request a "delivery verification" to know if the address is live.

Therefore deleting the account following receiving one of these threats is useless as the fraudster will know you have received it even before you open the email.

I regularly delete all emails in my Spam box without looking at them. It’s the safest thing to do IMHO.

This has happened to me. They said I’d been watching porn (never lol) and I would like my family colleges to know! Wanted Bitcoins in randsom! I just deleted the whole thing and ignored it knowing that folks would laugh or say ‘good for you’!

Jane:
Silly thing to do. Every so often a genuine mail will end up in automated spam catchers, usually people you may not have heard from for a while.
You do not need to open them to see who they are from. Check, then delete as appropriate.
As for people suggesting using a viruschecker to deal with ransomware: Sorry, this is not the tool for ransomware, virus checkers are for virusware, for ransomware you need ransomware tools.

I have had a few of these demands and even without ransom tools they can be got rid of:
My first action is to open taskmaster (ALT-Cntrl-Delete) and just delete the process second, just go to restore point and choose last known good configuration.
Then run Malwarebytes, Spybot search and destroy and clear cache.
Ensure all drivers and firmware is up to date, avoid Microsoft browsers and emails ( thay are the biggest target to hackers), use a more secure browser such as Firefox, use a VPN and the one good Windows security product......Windows Defender Security Centre.

Sounds like a lot of chores if you just run a PC and hope for the best, but essential nowadays.
Like anything, just get a routine going.

I had an email the other night with an old password and a threat to publish videos of me watching porn unless I paid a ransom of Bitcoins. I spent the evening going through my saved passwords checking to make sure I wasn't still using that particular one and found it was still active on several accounts which I no longer really use. I changed them using Apple's "Strong Password" tool but my browser didn't update so if there are any blackmailers out there, could you please send me the passwords so I can change them back into something I remember!!

Oh me too. However my conscience is clear. Good advice about not responding. They are just trying to check the account still exists so they can sell your email to other spammers. Not much point in reporting to UK police is demand is in US dollars.

Our local police issued this alert this morning;

Be aware... Be very aware.

NCMC have received numerous reports from members of the public who advise, that they have received a suspicious email.

This email claims, to be from someone on the dark web. This person further claims to have been monitoring your email account, and browsing history for a period of months. They further tell you, that they have taken photographic evidence of all of the above!

For some people, the thought of anyone seeing their browsing history is absolutely terrifying! ? Almost as terrifying as the request for a payment in dollars to not have these items shared among family and friends.

A good deal this is not! A scam is what it is.
Block any such sender's from further contact, please do not respond. If you have any doubt at all please contact police via 101.

We are here to help.

Do as BlueBelle and MawBroon say:

Ignore
DO NOT reply

Make a note of the sender's address. It may be possible to inform an appropriate body, even the Police.
Delete the message

lilihu Great advice! Thank you, I have made a note of the Action Fraud Team, for future reference.

Great advice too from stree Thanks! I am learning just in case and how to keep things tidy and out of these evil people's hands.

Mind you - as a punishment they should be made to spend many years in prison reading my internet browsing history. They probably haven't heard of most of the sites I look up, least of all know what they are about.

Tillybelle......How about 20 years in prison spent handwashing soiled nappies , just to teach them about family life.