P*rn blackmail email

[Germainefear]

NCd for this as I am both ashamed and scared.

Last night I used porn (I didn’t come here to be judged. I hate myself for it, so go easy). This morning I have had an email from a stranger saying that they hacked my webcam and will reveal the footage unless I pay them. Now I know that these are fakes (there has been a thread about them on here I think) but this one has worried me because it’s come so soon afterwards. It also named the site I used, which although a common one is still a red flag for me. Those coincidences make me worried. Please reassure me because I am feeling very useasy.

Block and delete.

Yeah ok. ‘Hate myself’ is probably a bit strong. Disappointed with myself is more like it. Disappointed that my desire for an orgasm has once again overridden my knowledge that porn is an industry that employs a lot of predatory men and exploits a lot of vulnerable women. But that’s just me. I’m not judging others nor do I wish to be judged.

This was much more likely to be revenge porn than images obtained by a scammer.

In the unlikely (vanishing unlikely) event there is a video, just say it's a deep fake. They're so realistic now you couldn't tell thd difference.

And none of your friends or family are going to judge you for watching porn. I don't know for sure, but have always assumed everyone I know watches it from time to time. I had a particularly moral friend who told me they only watch the "free range" variety, ie couples who put it up online because they're kinky and like the idea of people watching them. But they still watched!

Block and delete.

I’ve had a look into this btw, these people get everyone’s email from a data leak, which does happen from time to time unfortunately

This is what has happened. Just block and delete.

@shuggles why on earth would you think OP Was a man. Newsflash Women use porn and master masterbate too

It’s purely a scam. Block, delete, don’t engage.

They absolutely have not accessed your webcam but if in future you would like total security and certainty you can buy a webcam blocker (or just put tape over it)

i had the same one last week.

I ignored it, nothing happened. I promise you it’s a scam x

If you type ' have I been pwned' you will discover if any passwords have been accessed by a data breach. Mine was when I used a particular genealogy website, which is how these people got my email address.

@Germainefear Well that's a surprise, I didn't think that women also used pornography.

Sorry, but I find the idea of a Germaine Greer fan using pornography then feeling guilty about it afterwards somewhat humorous. It reminds me of a Christian teenage boy using pornography then feeling guilty that he has dishonoured his faith.

But again, there is nothing to be concerned about here, so I hope we have put your mind at ease.

I think from reading everyone’s replies that this is a fake, although the coincidence of the timing and the mention of the website worries me still.

But the issue isn’t really people finding out that I watched porn. As you say, a lot of people do. It’s that I don’t want them seeing me watch it!

Everyone showers, but I wouldn’t want someone watching a video of me showering.

Oh I was doing quite the opposite! I’d never judge anyone for that at all. I know there’s alot of bad stuff in the industry but I also think there’s probably a different side to it too as there are with most things.

I must admit that unless I am on a meeting call, I automatically have a piece of blue tack that covers my camera. Maybe something to think of in the future as well.

Same email here OP a few days ago. If you're worried, go onto your task manager (pressing ctrl, alt + delete together), look at app history and it'll tell you how much CPU time your camera has used over the last 10 days or so. Mine was at zero so I knew it was a scam (although I did seriously panic initially) and I have since changed my passwords and run an antivirus scan just in case I'd got infected from a virus. When I checked, I'd had my email included in 2 huge data breaches and they had included a very old password in the email.

It is probably spam. But you should always make sure that your webcam is covered unless you are using it.

These are always a bit shocking when you get the first - whatever you've been looking at.

That is until you realise that......
it's a generic email,
you don't have a camera on your computer aimed at your face,
that details of your name are wrong,
that you've never been on the site they've mentioned

Possibly time to review passwords. But in general they buy lots of email addresses and send out 1000s.

They catch a few - my Dad and the stranded abroad penniless one - for example.

Block, ignore and move on.

This is a scam, its just coincidence that you happened to watch it.

I never watch porn and had one of these stupid emails every day for an entire week. So had literally everyone I know- as we have discussed it and laughed about it. Its very very common- sooner or later one was bound to resonate with someone.

Block and report as spam

Report it as phishing and block them.

Cyber criminals seek to gain unauthorised access to such sites and harvest user details so they can carry out scams like this, or they send the same email/text out to millions of people and just hope a few actually have used the site they claim the user has.

The social engineering element they rely on is shame.

They really will not be able to out you in any way.

Don't click on any links, interact with them or give them any money.

They are criminals.

This is a well known scam. They send it out at random. Report as spam and delete.

You can get a physical cover for the camera (I have one built into my laptop) and you slide the shutter open to use the camera. We facetimed Ds at uni so I had to slide open the cover on the camera then remember to close it because I often get dressed with the laptop open watching the news and I am paranoid about somehow being hacked although who on earth would want to watch me getting dressed I have no idea.

Report and delete and change your passwords anyway. It's a scam. Sometimes they'll say they have your email and your password but the password they have is usually a very old one from a long ago leak.

I get at least one a month. A few days ago I had the "Hello pervert..." email saying they'd watched me wanking via my web cam and unless I was giving them bitcoin they were telling the world I watch porn.

a) Well that's funny because I don't have a webcam! It's got a shutter on it and also covered in tape so unless they were in the room with me they saw bog all.

b) Even when I do watch porn (rarely) I never expose myself so again they saw nothing.

c) I watch nothing dodgy so even if it were real and they told the world I watched porn, eh. Who cares. It's be forgotten about tomorrow.

Reply and say ‘is this really what you want to do with your life?’ Then report and block

If your camera doesn't have a built in sliders that covers the camera, put some black tape over it. Keep your camera covered unless you're on a zoom or teams call.