Bitcoin Being Used for Blackmail

[gapster2]

I just got an email that I pasted below the asterisks.  The only thing they have right is an old password that I still use for forums I’ve belonged to for years.  Mostly computer and photography related forums.  They are telling me they have videos from a porn site and my web cam and well, you can read the email.  I do not have a web cam, nor do I use Messenger, Outlook or Facebook.  I removed my password from the email.  Their BTC address is listed, tho I removed the last 4 characters for the purpose of posting here.  They are demanding $1,000 within 24 hours.  I do believe this is a scam of some sort.  If I click on reply, there is no address and if I try to look at all headers in the email, it is not available.  Never seen that before.  Is there a way to trace this person and find out who they are?  I am not sending them anything. 

One thing I did notice the other day is that a proxy program I run always in Firefox got turned off the other day.  That’s never happened before.


*************************************************

It seems that, (*****************), is your password. You may not know me and you are probably wondering why you are getting this e mail, right?
 
actually, I put in place a trojans over the adult vids (adult porn) web-site and you know what, you visited this web site to have fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching videos, your internet browser began working like a RDP (Remote Access) which provided accessibility of your screen and web cam. and then, my computer software obtained all of your current contacts from your Messenger, Outlook, Facebook, as well as emails.
 
What did I really do?
 
I made a double-screen video clip. First part shows the video you're seeing (you have a good taste haha . . .), and 2nd part shows the recording of your web camera.
 
exactly what should you do?
 
Well, in my opinion, $1000 is a fair price for your little secret. You'll make the payment by Bitcoin (if you do not know this, search "how to buy bitcoin" in Google).
 
BTC Address: 15mwbKGQ2MMQW91G6VUwHx8huEFRZZ****
(It is case sensitive, so copy and paste it)
 
Very important:
You've got 1 day in order to make the payment. (I have a completely unique pixel within this e mail, and at this moment I know that you have read through this email message). If I don't get the BitCoins, I will certainly send out your videos to all of your contacts including family members, colleagues, and so forth. Having said that, if I get the payment, I'll destroy the recording immidiately. If you'd like evidence, reply with "Yes!" and i'll undoubtedly send your videos to your 6 contacts. It is a non-negotiable offer, that being said don't waste my personal time and yours by answering this message.

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[libert19]

Wait for one day, scammer will move on to next victim. They live on your fear, don't feed them.

[stompix]

It's a scam, and it has hit the news a long time ago:
https://www.techlicious.com/blog/is-the-porn-blackmail-scam-real/

But one thing is certain, if they did get that password right it means one of those forum's security has been compromised so stop using it for any of your accounts from now on.

[Lemer]

It's just a scam, they don't really get your video.
They just use your inner fear to cheat.

[gapster2]

I appreciate the responses.  I could pretty much read scam thru the whole thing, specially since I do not have or use a web cam, nor do I use messenger Outlook, or Facebook and they did not mention the name of the web site, important info if they wanted to be believed, but the password bothers me.  How would they get my password?  I was not and am not in fear of this email, but I am definitely ticked off.  I would love to get my hands on this person, or at least expose him and press charges.

I was hoping since I have their BTC number, tho I left the last 4 characters off for the purpose of posting, that it would be possible to find this person.  There is no contact info on the Bitcoin site, so I registered for this forum.

[stompix]

How would they get my password? 

Probably or more like certainly from one of the forums.
The database either got hacked or the owner decided to sell it, or....

I was hoping since I have their BTC number, tho I left the last 4 characters off for the purpose of posting, that it would be possible to find this person. 

I assume you're new to bitcoin 
That's a payment address, you can't link a real-life person with that address unless he makes a mistake by posting it somewhere.
The only way to trace him is by tracing the funds and hoping he does deposit them on an exchange where again he will hopefully use his real name and identity.

Chances for that? Close to zero.

But if someone here wants to play the detective is better you let us know the whole address...

There is no contact info on the Bitcoin site, so I registered for this forum.

Bitcoin is a decentralized currency, there is no contact, there is no support.

My advice is to change that password you have used in multiple places to a new one or even better make a distinct password for each forum/email/service. This way if shit happens again not only you will be safe and only one account will be compromised but you will also know how he got that pass.

[pooya87]

it seems like the author of that Email watches too many movies that he thinks "hacking" is that easily done through a website inside your browser, specially today's browsers.

and to answer your other question, no you can not find a person like that. i see that the address is different in the link @stompix posted above so they may know what they are doing which means tracking is that much more difficult.

But if someone here wants to play the detective is better you let us know the whole address...

you can easily brute force it
it is only ~11 million possibilities. it will only take about 4 minutes. although i have to modify some code to do it for an address which takes time and i am lazyyyy

[joerogers8]

As the others have stated this is a pure scam and not possible to track someone like that.  The scammer is hoping to get 1 out of 100 to have an emotional response and pay up.  99% of the time you just ignore this type of trash.

[Binugon]

I just got an email that I pasted below the asterisks.  The only thing they have right is an old password that I still use for forums I’ve belonged to for years.  Mostly computer and photography related forums.  They are telling me they have videos from a porn site and my web cam and well, you can read the email.  I do not have a web cam, nor do I use Messenger, Outlook or Facebook.  I removed my password from the email.  Their BTC address is listed, tho I removed the last 4 characters for the purpose of posting here.  They are demanding $1,000 within 24 hours.  I do believe this is a scam of some sort.  If I click on reply, there is no address and if I try to look at all headers in the email, it is not available.  Never seen that before.  Is there a way to trace this person and find out who they are?  I am not sending them anything. 

One thing I did notice the other day is that a proxy program I run always in Firefox got turned off the other day.  That’s never happened before.


*************************************************

It seems that, (*****************), is your password. You may not know me and you are probably wondering why you are getting this e mail, right?
 
actually, I put in place a trojans over the adult vids (adult porn) web-site and you know what, you visited this web site to have fun (you know what I mean). While you were watching videos, your internet browser began working like a RDP (Remote Access) which provided accessibility of your screen and web cam. and then, my computer software obtained all of your current contacts from your Messenger, Outlook, Facebook, as well as emails.
 
What did I really do?
 
I made a double-screen video clip. First part shows the video you're seeing (you have a good taste haha . . .), and 2nd part shows the recording of your web camera.
 
exactly what should you do?
 
Well, in my opinion, $1000 is a fair price for your little secret. You'll make the payment by Bitcoin (if you do not know this, search "how to buy bitcoin" in Google).
 
BTC Address: 15mwbKGQ2MMQW91G6VUwHx8huEFRZZ****
(It is case sensitive, so copy and paste it)
 
Very important:
You've got 1 day in order to make the payment. (I have a completely unique pixel within this e mail, and at this moment I know that you have read through this email message). If I don't get the BitCoins, I will certainly send out your videos to all of your contacts including family members, colleagues, and so forth. Having said that, if I get the payment, I'll destroy the recording immidiately. If you'd like evidence, reply with "Yes!" and i'll undoubtedly send your videos to your 6 contacts. It is a non-negotiable offer, that being said don't waste my personal time and yours by answering this message.

it is fraud, before you have to recognize some fraud modes like for example you receive an email from some popular Bitcoin services to suggest you visit their website using information from your BTC wallet, in this case the fraudster aims to find out your personal data, by therefore beware.

[pat4cryptoreal]

Wow! This looks like a movie. If you are not involved in any of the things that the person  mentioned then you don't need to panic.  It's a warning for you to tighten up your Security.

[tonywangg]

That's some email you got there.  Mom and dad always told you to stay away from the porn right?  Either way I would simply ignore this one.  Maybe send an email back saying you have contacted the police and they are investigating. 

[loragean03]

That person who email you are trying to convince you that he/she have a video that you are watching pornsites then doing a crazy things while watching which is not actually you do or it never happens, that was a trick that when you fall in this,  they can get a payment from you. I think that person cannot feed himself by its own, and this is a thing he/she thinks to get on.

[frankbeard]

Can I get a copy of the vid by any chance?  LOL  Just kidding man.  I would tell this guy to f off.  Send him 10 cents worth of bitcoin.  See if you can irritate him into a mistake.  Write an email back.  Maybe his vpn will screw up.  Play dirty with this one. 

[bittraffic]

Email seem to be written by a kid and he only asked for $1000 lol.

Even if its true that you actually did something horrible infront of the camera, don't send them that amount or they will just keep asking. You wouldn't actually believe they'd delete the videos, if they got some money, they will asks for more later on. Who cares about you jacking  

[thesmallgod]

This seems like true blackmail but do you really do what was explain in the text. I mean do you watch porn. it is painful that bitcoin have always been use for illegal stuff like this. I have experience someone file being locked and he was asked to pay to a btc wallet before. I have notice that bitcoin traders, investors and hunter also have chance of being exposed to different type of malware. sometime ago, I discover that my laptop battery is getting drain faster and it makes alot of hovering noise due to high CPU usage. I downloaded a malwarebyte antivrus and scan my system. I was surprise that I have been infected with a virus called coinminer. the virus use the power of the system to mine crypto without your consent.

[Juggy777]

This is the new type of scam and it's pretty obvious out of 10 five will be doing this and they'll fall for it, as for the password check the site was using ssl or no, it often happens  they don't use ssl or you used public wifi but good thing you're safe. However as a safety precaution change all passwords you normally use. Relax this is just a hoax and you won cause you called their bluff.

[ice18]

Its clearly a scam you said you do not have a webcam and in the email says they have a video watching you a porn Its impossible if do not have any webcam attached in your computer You dont have to worry nice try by the hacker but he failed lol.

[gapster2]

But if someone here wants to play the detective is better you let us know the whole address...

I assumed there would be a forum rule about posting the whole address, so I left the last 4 characters off.  If it’s ok to post it, I will.

[Wendigo]

I think this is what actually happened to you - some of the forums and websites you have an account at got their databases leaked on the Internet. There are online directories where they collect and sell the data dumps to interested parties. Some guy has gotten access to your old password and your associated email and now is trying to scare you into paying him for not revealing your little dirty secrets to your family & friends. And because nowadays everyone visits porn sites and has a web camera the scammer has chosen the 'shameful porn site' scenario to guilt trip you. You need not to worry about that, and a very easy fix for your situation is to choose a good password manager program and change all your old passwords. If you really have no web cam it's virtually impossible for the scammer to have any recording of you.

[Stuart_Shook]

I got something similar almost a year ago but they didn't manage to get ahold of my password. They wanted a ridiculously low amount of money (like around the $100 range) and made the same threat about social media and porn. It also said something that they would know when I read the email and I had 24 hours until then to send the money so some bitcoin address.

I ignored it and nothing happened, but I thought it was kind of funny actually. Scammers are getting more and more clever because they realize that if they make a threat that feels like you've been backed into a corner and don't demand an excessive amount of money, they can actually get more people to fall for their tricks.