Police Warn of Surge in ‘Sextortion’ Scam Emails
South Yorkshire Police are sounding the alarm after a spike in ‘sextortion’ emails targeting local residents. Cyber crooks claim victims have been caught on camera watching porn and demand hefty Bitcoin ransoms to keep the “footage” private.
In the past week, the force has logged 15 reports of the scam. Victims are threatened with their so-called footage being sent to all their contacts unless they pay up — sometimes as much as $3,000 in Bitcoin.
Scammers Use Your Own Email and Password to Intimidate
These fraudsters crank up the fear factor by sending messages from victims’ own email accounts and revealing real passwords, stolen likely from old data breaches. Cyber Protect Officer Dannielle Lee explains:
“The emails claim the victim has been filmed on their computer watching porn and demand payment of up to $3,000 in Bitcoin. These scams, known as ‘sextortion’, can be very unsettling, especially when criminals know your password and set strict deadlines.”
Thankfully, no victims in South Yorkshire have paid out yet.
How to Protect Yourself from Sextortion Scams
Action Fraud advises against replying or paying. Responding only makes you a bigger target. Instead, take these key steps:
- Flag repeated scam emails as spam or junk
- Change passwords immediately, especially if compromised ones are mentioned
- Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) wherever possible
- Keep your software and anti-virus protection up to date
If you receive a sextortion email, report it swiftly to Action Fraud online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040 — though online reporting is advised due to current delays on the phone line.
