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“I know about the secret you are keeping from your wife and everyone else. You can ignore this letter, or pay me a $8600 confidentiality fee in Bitcoin”.

It’s enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine, but these chilling words are part of a new scam targeting men.

Here’s how it works. Scammers have been sending letters to men, demanding payments using bitcoin in exchange for keeping quiet about alleged affairs. The letter also explains how to use bitcoin to make the payment.

This is a criminal extortion attempt to separate people from their money.

If you — or someone you know — gets a letter like this, report it immediately to your local police, and the FBI.

Threats, intimidation and high-pressure tactics are classic signs of a scam. Learn how to stay ahead of clever crooks with these practical tips, and check out the ways you can keep your personal information secure.

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Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

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Gatorrich
November 01, 2020
Here's one I just got. The senders email address is the same as mine. Not sure how they did that? Also, mentioned an old password from years ago. YOU'RE LIFE IS IN DANGER Good day. I perform all kinds of services - basically it is destruction to property and injury. Basically, all but the shooting. Often main reasons are rejected love or competition at workplace. This week client contacted me and set me the mission of splashing acid in your face. Default practice - quickly, painfully, for life. Without too much fuss. I know all your routes, your address, and even your password **** and it won't be difficult for me to do this job. Thus, now I propose you pay me $500 to be inactive, I propose this to nearly all the victims. If I do not receive money from you, then my person will fulfill the mission. If you give me money, besides to my inactivity, I will provide you the info about the client. P.S... You can try to complain to cops, but I don't think that they can solve ur problem. You can the payment by Bitcoin (if you don't know this, search "how to buy bitcoin" in Google). This is address fоr рaymеnt: bc1qht6pzr7v42mpxy6jhjxypg65cqan69rwnu7uyh You have 24 hours to pay.
Mikel 10
November 16, 2020
I got bitcoin PC 8991729 Model #6388192 Bitcoin Pass Azad2008
Eddie
November 16, 2020
I got one of these emails sent to my school email, they said they installed a trojan on my device and caught me watching pornography, and that they would send it to my contacts if I didn't pay 1,400 dollars in bitcoins, it was scary at first but I realized that it was just a scam
Tan
November 24, 2020
I received the same email twice today !! Should I take action against those people!! Please advise
EJL
February 12, 2021

In reply to by Tan

You can report it, but it's best not to respond. Otherwise, they may bother you more
Donald lavier
November 26, 2020
I had that done 2 me 2 weeks ago they went in my samsung email I dont know if they opened up new one but I haven't opened email since he left tracks on my messages and data he was in their I seen the name richard Dunn 8060 so dont know what the hell is going on that's why I am not updating apps I reset my account and I dont want you taken over gmail u could be a verification account to google but their my main account right now he was in your store too I seen on phone in adds after flipping rocks over I found stuff out get back to me thanks yaz are Impossible to reach without email
txt216
December 04, 2020
I’m so upsetting after received an email like this last minute ago. I’m so shivering my spine and cannot believed that someone threaten me with such blackmail. So, in end, I reported this as phishing email. It’s such frightening when someone can actually recorded me while I doing on my computer. Of course I know that I don’t use my laptop last month even more than months ago.
Idk
December 12, 2020
Got one this morning- same story as everyone That ive been recorded and my friends will be sent videos of me. Although i deleted social media weeks ago its still creepy... I deleted the spam email . Still paranoid to use my laptop though...
Gaylecox
December 20, 2020
Many times have fake profiles on dating websites tried to scamm me saying they will send me money through bitcoin and to take some out for me then send the rest to them. I had many different excuses as to why they can't use their own bitcoin account from: they can't access their account where they are currently to their bank account is frozen. I have not sent any money not have I an account with bitcoin. These scammers are using people's emotions to take away everything from you.
Lala303
January 12, 2021
I just got the same email. I knew something was up when I got notification of about 20 failed attempts to login to an old yahoo account. Their prices have really gone up. They asked me for almost $5000. They won't get a penny from me even if I had any idea how bitcoin worked. I would like to report it to someone. I'm more concerned about them getting credit card or bank information.
bukhari
March 30, 2021
I received a sms from +33774887692 that I won the lottery jackpot of $999.000.00. email address was bitcoinonline999 and also given phone number address Bitcoin Correspondence address: 24th Floor One Canada Square, Canary Watford London E14 5AB, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0) 740 445 9202
Yellow12345
January 24, 2021
I received one of these threatening emails. I live in the UK. How did this happen. The password they had for me I haven't used for 5 years. I'm more concerned as to how they could get hold of my password information. There's no damage to me because all my passwords are changed regular basis. And the one they had is absolutely useless to them.
Annoyed
January 27, 2021
LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE AT IT AGAIN I know XXXXXX is one of your password on day of hack.. Lets get directly to the point. Not one person has paid me to check about you. You do not know me and you're probably thinking why you are getting this email? in fact, i actually placed a malware on the adult vids (adult porn) website and you know what, you visited this site to experience fun (you know what i mean). When you were viewing videos, your browser started out operating as a RDP having a key logger which provided me with accessibility to your display and web cam. immediately after that, my malware obtained every one of your contacts from your Messenger, FB, as well as email account. after that i created a double-screen video. 1st part shows the video you were viewing (you have a nice taste omg), and 2nd part displays the recording of your cam, and its you. Best solution would be to pay me $6911. We are going to refer to it as a donation. in this situation, i most certainly will without delay remove your video. My -BTC -address: 13e1JDbq5Vyb2bqG38QUqJ2eVuseBEpfqF [case SeNSiTiVe, copy & paste it] You could go on your life like this never happened and you will not ever hear back again from me. You'll make the payment via Bitcoin (if you do not know this, search 'how to buy bitcoin' in Google). if you are planning on going to the law, surely, this e-mail can not be traced back to me, because it's hacked too. I have taken care of my actions. i am not looking to ask you for a lot, i simply want to be paid. if i do not receive the bitcoin;, i definitely will send out your video recording to all of your contacts including friends and family, co-workers, and so on. Nevertheless, if i do get paid, i will destroy the recording immediately. If you need proof, reply with Yeah then i will send out your video recording to your 8 friends. it's a nonnegotiable offer and thus please don't waste mine time & yours by replying to this message.
Ferry
January 30, 2021
From what I can tell, this scam targets old people. I'm 19 and it is clearly a same story. They use my old password (2013) as the title of the email, and the contents are meant to threaten me - sending my personal info and revenge porn (note - I never visited these sites at all) to someone else. I'm not that scared however, given that personal information back in the day is clearly, clearly false, and I don't take these things seriously.
Macar
February 16, 2021
I recieve this letter on 2021/02. Maybe you know,how to delete this virus from my all my devices? Than You all!
SpiritualSunny
February 19, 2021
I received about 150+ emails with different email IDs to target different emails but same domain name ... want me to transfer Bitcoins to this account Here is my bitcoin wallet: 16aqr3rXxCtxa8AK3ErftnBQLfzyyhjpXJ You have less than 48 hours from the moment you opened this email (precisely 2 days).
fellow email r…
July 12, 2021
I received an email like this in 2021 and it was in my junk folder. It said things similar along the lines of we have downloaded the trojan virus and have been recording videos of yourself that we will release if you don’t transfer $1643 USD bitcoin. Said I have 48 hours, but didn’t prove the password I had. Let me know if anyone has the same.
kd
July 13, 2021

In reply to by fellow email r…

i just got an email today too. said i have 48 hours to pay 1299 in bitcoin. it didn’t mention a password or trojan virus but said it had a compromising video of me. scary but i will ignore it.
Alert
July 19, 2021

In reply to by fellow email r…

I got the same in the spam folder in June but opened on July now :p they ask for $5094.
JMB
July 21, 2021
Checked spam email folder recently, and a had an email from myself !! It said "my device was compromised". "I was just one of the quite a few unlucky people who got hacked that day." It said it had been quietly collecting information about my habits, websites that I visit, searches, texts. It demands bitcoins so they won't destroy my reputation !! I have "2 business days" to comply. Also says "do not ask for help from anybody unless you want your privacy to be violated".
sumar
August 11, 2021
i got the same email demanding me to a $1623 in bitcoin to them, see part of the massage below "ӏėt's ṡëttӏë ìt tңіṡ աɑү: үᴑu tгἁṅsfėr $1623 ᴜśä dolläᴦ tȯ mê (ἱn Ƅìtćὀὶʼn еqᴜὶvalёṅt áсϲordὶʼnģ tᴏ thе êxϲңäʼnge rἀtè ɑt thė ṁȯᴍênt ὀḟ fᴜɴdṡ tᴦἁǹsḟėг), aʼnd oᴨϲe tңe tгàɴṡféг іś гéᴄeἰvёd, ί ᴡіlӏ dеlėte аӏl tңίs diгty stᴜḟḟ ᴦíġht ȧաàɣ. áḟtѐᴦ tңàt, ɯè ɯìll forġѐt abὀut ѐáᴄң ὁthêr. ἱ ɑӏṡᴑ prὁmísė tὁ dêἀᴄtіvἀté ἁɴd déӏеtê ɑӏӏ tңė hἀᴦḿfᴜӏ ṡօḟtẃɑrė frօᴍ ɣᴑur dеvίcѐѕ. trᴜst ṁê. ί ᴋѐеρ ṁɣ wօгd."
Kristina
September 01, 2021
I responded and now I'm scared. Will something actually happen because I responded or no?
Don'tJoebrooks…
September 02, 2021
I don’t see why the USA congress can’t do nothing about these scams by people using WhatsApp to claim you are going to make all this money in 5 days
GT
September 18, 2021
Just got this recently and it’s very scary to see what’s happening. I also had a panic attack from that.
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