‘Your email was h4cked’ message claims that your mailbox was hacked

A new email sextortion scam claims that your email account was “h4cked” by a darknet hacker who infected your operating system with a virus. The email message claims that the virus allowed the hacker to monitor you for a long time.

The message claims that the hacker has access to all of your accounts, social networks, emails, and browsing history, as well as data of all your contacts and files on your computer.

The message also says that they recorded a video of you through your camera while you visited intimate websites.

I was most shocked by the intimate content sites that you occasionally visit.
I tell you, you have a very wild imagination!

I took screenshot through the camera of your device during your pastime and entertainment there and i managed to synchronize them with what you are watching.
Oh my god! You are so funny and excited!

The message then says that they will send your files, history of the sites you visit, and recordings of you watching intimate videos to all of your contacts if you do not pay them.

I don’t think that you will want all your contacts to get these files, right?
If you are of the same opinion, then I think that $600 is quite a fair price to destroy the dirt I created.

To make matters worse, the email message appears to be sent to you from your own email account which suggests that the hacker does have access to your account. However, a third party email spoofing service or hacked domain was used to send you the email message. No one actually accessed your email account and sent you a message.

Even if your device does not have a camera on it you will receive the message. Even if you have never visited an intimate website you will receive the message.

The purpose of the email message is to scare you into paying the scammer in Bitcoin.

Here’s an example of the email message:

Subject: [Your email address] was h4cked.
From: [Your email address]
To: [Your email address]
Date Today 15:24

Hello!

My nickname in darknet is 0j0x0io.
This mailbox was hacked more than seven months ago,
through it, your operating system was infected with a virus (trojan) created by me and you have been monitored by myself for a long time.

You may not belive me, so please check ‘from address’ in your header, you will see that this email was sent from your very own mailbox. ([Your email address])

Even if you changed the password after that – it does not matter, my system intercepted all the caching data on your pc
and automatically saved access for me.

I have access to all your accounts, social networks, email, browsing history.
Besides that, I have the data of all your contacts, files from your computer, photos and videos.

I was most shocked by the intimate content sites that you occasionally visit.
I tell you, you have a very wild imagination!

I took screenshot through the camera of your device during your pastime and entertainment there and i managed to synchronize them with what you are watching.
Oh my god! You are so funny and excited!

I don’t think that you will want all your contacts to get these files, right?
If you are of the same opinion, then I think that $600 is quite a fair price to destroy the dirt I created.

Just send the above amount on my BTC wallet (bitcoin): 3L5beMF92sb1zBSzrBZUAaDPw2rw9PBj3u
When the above amount is received, I definitely guarantee that the collected data will be deleted, I do not need it.

Otherwise, these files and history of visiting sites will be sent to all your contacts from your device.

After reading this letter, you will have 48 hours!
I’ll receive an automatic notification that you have seen the letter.

I hope I taught you a good lesson.
Do not be so nonchalant, please visit only to proven resources, and don’t enter your passwords anywhere!
Good luck!

The downside to receiving such an email message, especially one that may show you your own password is that your information may have been leaked online following a breach that occurred on a website like Yahoo, Adobe, LinkedIn, and Experian. Sensitive data such as your name, email address, password, and telephone number may be floating around somewhere on the web or someone may have been able to purchase a list that obtained your information.

To see where your information may have been leaked or which breach your information was obtained from go to https://haveibeenpwned.com/ and submit your email address. You will receive a free detailed analysis instantly.

And finally, the most important things you need to do are change your passwords and scan your computer for malware. I recommend to scan your computer for malware first, then change your passwords to ensure no one is spying on you.

Here are instructions to scan and remove malware from your computer and tips to create a secure password:

Scan your computer for malware

1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software to scan your device and remove malicious files and potentially unwanted programs.

2. To install the program, locate and double-click the executable file you just downloaded. The file can usually be found in the Download folder.

3. Choose if this is for home or work use and click Agree and Install to begin installing Malwarebytes. Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

4. Once Malwarebytes is installed, open the program and click the Scan Now button on the dashboard – or go to the Scan tab and click the Start Scan button.

5. When the scan is complete click the Quarantine Selected button.

6. If Malwarebytes says “All selected items have been removed successfully. A log file has been saved to the logs folder. Your computer needs to be restarted to complete the removal process. Would you like to restart now?” click the Yes button to restart your computer.

7. Download HitmanPro to perform a second-opinion scan and remove any remaining malicious trace files. A second-opinion scan is important when removing malware and malicious files from your computer.

8. To install the program, locate and double-click the executable file you just downloaded. The file can usually be found in the Download folder.

9. Once HitmanPro is installed, open the program and click Next to start scanning your device. *If you are using the free version you may choose to create a copy or perform a one-time scan.

10. When the HitmanPro scan is complete, click the Next button.

11. To activate the free version of HitmanPro: enter your email address twice and click the Activate button.

12. Click the Reboot button.

Tips to create a secure password

• Do not reuse the same password for multiple accounts. Use unique passwords wherever possible.
• Use strong passwords with numbers, letters, and special characters such as !@$#.
• Use two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security along with your password.
• Use a reputable password manager if you have trouble remembering multiple passwords.