Have you received this message? Or something like it?
"I'm aware, P*******, is your password.
I need your full attention for the next Twenty-four hrs, or I will certainly make sure you that you live out of guilt for the rest of your life span.
Hello, you don't know me personally. Yet I know a lot of things concerning you. Your facebook contact list, phone contacts along with all the virtual activity on your computer from past 137 days. Which includes, your self pleasure video footage, which brings me to the main reason why I 'm writing this mail to you. Well the previous time you visited the adult porn web sites, my spyware was triggered in your computer system which ended up saving a eye-catching footage of your masturbation play simply by triggering your webcam (you got a really strange taste by the way lol)."
This is a scam.
Scam messages can sometimes include threats to share intimate videos and images with friends and family, often alongside a threatening message demanding a hefty sum of money and a tight deadline.
If you’ve received a message like this, you are being targeted by a sextortion scammer. It is important to remember, that it is very unlikely that your device has been hacked, and they most likely do not have a recording of you.
Scam messages have been circulating for years, and can come in many different variations. Whether they appear in your email inbox or your private Instagram and Facebook messages, they all result in the risk of losing significant sums of money and causing immense distress to the person at the receiving end of them.
What can I do?
There are several steps you can take if you receive a message:
- Do not click any links or meet their demands.
- Do not reply to the message.
- Report the message as a phishing attempt to Action Fraud here.
- Block the sender.
- Make sure your computer’s antivirus software is up-to-date.
Why do they know my password?
Sometimes companies and websites can be involved in data breaches, which can result in your email and password being shared online. This means that other people may be able to access your details and send you these messages.
To find out if your contact details and passwords have been involved in a data breach, you can check your details on the website https://haveibeenpwned.com/.
If your data has been part of a breach, we recommend that you update any account details that used the compromised information.
You can find out how to create strong and secure passwords on our website, and we would always recommend that you enable two-factor authentication whenever you can. You can find more advice on how to review and raise your privacy settings here.
What do I do if I have sent money?
If you have sent money, don’t worry, there are several ways you can report and limit the situation.
- Contact your bank as soon as possible if your bank details have been taken.
- Change your passwords and log-ins. You should change all your account passwords, even if you think they may not have been affected.
- Document what has happened. Write down everything that’s happened or use screenshots to capture message exchanges and websites.
- Contact the police or Action Fraud here.
- Get Support. Talk to others, whether it be a friend, family, or emotional support services. You can find a list of support services from Report Harmful Content’s website here.
What do I do if the scammer has my intimate images?
If the scammer does have access to your intimate images, there are many ways we can support you. This would be a case of sextortion, and there are plenty of ways you can protect yourself.
It is important to remember not to give into their demands, and to look after yourself if you have been affected. You can visit our Sextortion Awareness Hub for more information.
Visit our Sextortion Awareness Hub
If you are concerned about your intimate images being shared and you are an adult in the UK, you can contact us on weekdays between 10am-4pm on 0345 6000 459, or by emailing help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk.
Anyone around the world can also protect their intimate images on StopNCII.org, which can prevent them from being shared across participating websites and platforms. StopNCII.org can be used without any intimate photos ever leaving a personal device, ensuring privacy at all times.
