Sextortion scams are years-old form of phishing where scammers threaten to release intimate or compromising images or videos of the victim unless a ransom is paid. These scams often begin with an email or message claiming that the scammer has hacked the victim’s device and recorded them through their webcam. To make the threat more convincing, the scammer might include personal details about the victim, such as their name, email address, or previously used password obtained from an online data breach. The victim is then instructed to pay a ransom, usually in cryptocurrency, to prevent the release of the alleged footage. Despite the alarming nature of these threats, they are often baseless, with scammers relying on fear and intimidation to coerce victims into paying.

In a disturbing new evolution of these scams, cybercriminals are now incorporating photos of victims’ homes. This new tactic, reported by Krebs on Security, involves scammers sending emails that claim to have compromising webcam footage of the recipient. To heighten the fear and urgency, these emails now include images of the target’s home, often sourced from online mapping services like Google Maps

This tactic is part of a broader trend where scammers leverage publicly accessible data to enhance their extortion attempts. By using images of victims’ homes, they aim to create a sense of vulnerability and urgency, pushing victims to comply with their demands out of fear for their safety and privacy.

Help us raise awareness about these scams with your friends and family. Never reply to sextortion messages. Instead, take steps to secure your personal information and create stronger passwords for your online accounts. Enable multi-factor authentication on your online accounts whenever possible.

Stay informed, stay secure.