I’m Being Blackmailed - Someone Hacked My Computer

If you got one of those emails saying someone hacked your computer and accessed your webcam, the good news is that it is highly unlikely this is true.

This is a scam where all a person has done is find some old passwords of yours that were leaked through a website’s security breach (you can find which ones affect you at HaveIBeenPwned.com), and then pretended to have gained that knowledge from hacking into your computer.

The scam works by pretending to have hacked into your computer, found all your passwords, and discovered sensitive information about you. It then proceeds to blackmail you by saying they will release this sensitive information to your friends, family and work colleagues unless you pay a certain amount of BitCoin.

How do we know this is a scam and not real?

Real blackmail attacks actually show screenshots or video of the sensitive information to prove they have it, as well as screenshots of Facebook or LinkedIn profiles of your friends, family and colleagues to prove they really do know who you are, rather than just allude to it. All the scammer has is an old password leaked from a third-party database breach.

“But the email was sent from my account”

Although things are changing, with verification of emails and the domains they are sent from, some email accounts can have their information spoofed or faked. It is most likely the scammer is using a spoofing method to fake where the email is coming from. Again, real blackmailers show more evidence to prove they actually have all this information on you.

“I think the blackmail is real…”

If you are genuinely being blackmailed over sensitive information, please contact your local authorities. This may be difficult due to the sensitive nature of the information being blackmailed, but this type of crime is sadly becoming more common and authorities have likely seen this before. You can read more about this type of blackmail here at the UK’s National Crime Agency website.