Suspicious email

[countrygirl12]

I got an email telling me a password I use to use. They went on to say that unless I send them $3000 they are going to expose all videos that I have been watching. I'm thinking it may be a hoax but how did they know my real password?....can people watch you on your webcam when it's shut off? i'm starting to get paranoid lol

No but your webcam can be activated remotely. I have a piece of paper taped over mine.

I don't know how they know your previous password and that would freak me out but unless you are watching some hard core *bleep* do you care if they expose all the videos you have watched? I doubt they could do that anyway.  WHO is the email suppose to be from?

Look at who it is actually from not who it says it is from.  Hover over the address with your mouse and it will show you who actually sent it.  Then google that email address and see if you come up with any hits for spam.

I can tell you this isn't real.  They think they can scare you in to giving them money.  Why would they not expose the videos you watch for $3000 hush money? And why would they stop there.  There are all kinds of websites in the past that have been hacked and user names and passwords were stolen and you were advised to change your password.  I would think it was someone who got the info that way. Whomever stole the info can sell it to others and they can use it to do exactly what they have done to you.

Personally, I would not stress too much. I would probably change my password on that site again just to be safe.

[countrygirl12]

If you have a way to block that email address I would.

That pay $3000 or else is nuts. It would have come through on a letter in the mail from a legit lawyer.

There is one virus that has been going around that actually talks to you (human voice) and warns you you have to change a setting, or sign in or you will crash from a virus.

I called my geek friend's girlfriend, and she told me what to do immediately, and how to save my computer. I did it immediately, and it was gone.

They tried several months later, and that time I knew what to do and got rid of it immediately.  They are actually threatening with someone talking, and they tell you to pay them immediately or they cannot stop your virus. They claim to be from an anti-virus company. He sounded like he came from the Far East.

try to block them if you can from your email. If it was legit, that is not how they would get in touch with you. There are tons of these scams out there. Don't get taken in.

 

That happened to me. I x out of the internet immediately and cleared all cookies and ran virus protection and nothing had happened. The virus downloads when you click the scan now when it starts talking to you and then it is too late.

[countrygirl12]

There is no such thing as turning your webcam off.  And these new phones, like the Iphones, don't have a battery that can be taken out easily.  You can turn them off, but their never really off.  It's an open microphone.

You can turn your camera off.  Actually my webcam is never on. I think I have turned it on a handful of times when I use to use a chat program and I video chatted with a friend.  Actually we could see each other but the chatting was done via typing. lol But I keep a post it note on there covering it up.

[countrygirl12]

First of all, you never should have opened the email if it was from a source you didn't know.  Second of all, hackers have ways of cracking passwords especially if you use actually words.  The best passwords (which I have a physical book I keep them all in) are ones at least 12 characters long with random letters both in capitals and smaller case with special symbols such as the at symbol or hashtag then numbers.  For example: kDjryNp@370G.  If this isn't what you did for passwords then of course they will discover it.  This does have the makings of you being hacked, not uncommon in this day an age.  I had my emails hacked and immediately changed the password to something like the above example.  You should change all of your passwords just to be sure.  Next time, unless you know the sender, whether a password you use is in the subject line or not, don't open it.  Opening it leads to an open a doorway into your machine leading to a hack or virus.   

The problem with that is if you have several sites you log in to then you have to look at the PW every time you log in Most people do not want to do that.

[AnnaKiki]

I wouldn't even open it! You never know if it has a virus or not.

[minioncookies]

Do nothing just put the email as spam because all those are just scams just like the fake IRS ones ive gotten on my phone for the last  year

[dogsleash]

its a hoax they get the password off old eamils that were leaked from other sites. just make sure your passwords are changed.

[alina6]

I sent it as a phishing scam...OMG I am so glad you mentioned that they talk. while on my laptop yesterday a guy said "you need a new computer".....I thought I was losing it lol

I guess I am lucky I usually keep the volume turned off

[joywalk637]

I get suspicious emails too but I usually just delete them. On showtime there's a show called Dark Net. One of the episodes they talk to a guy who hacks into peoples cameras and people who have been hacked, super scary!!

[king4cash]

do not fall to this phishing scam...

[cateyes1]

Thanks everyone...has anyone ever heard of Zookaware?

[camellia0]

Maybe your email address is on the dark web? I have an email address that is on there and I found this out when I started receiving my monthly credit report.

[countrygirl12]

Maybe your email address is on the dark web? I have an email address that is on there and I found this out when I started receiving my monthly credit report.

How do you know if your info is on the "dark web".  All our info is probably on there.

[cateyes1]

Maybe your email address is on the dark web? I have an email address that is on there and I found this out when I started receiving my monthly credit report.

How do you know if your info is on the "dark web".  All our info is probably on there.

Yes how would I know?

[hkckk5]

I do not open any email from anyone I do not know. This is surely a scam. Be cautious with your email account