A spike in complaints about sextortion scams has been reported in Arizona.
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich issued a warning about the scam emails in which threats to release sexually explicit photos or videos of the recipient are made. Other emails threaten to release the recipients browser history or an alleged recorded webcam video taken while looking at adult websites.
The scammer will typically demand payment, usually in the form of digital currency like bitcoin, but doesn't provide any proof of the photos or videos, a news release said.
“Extortion emails like these are designed to cause fear and anxiety. Do not panic and certainly do not respond or engage with the fraudster or send any sort of payment," Brnovich said.
To further scare and intimidate the potential victim, the scammer includes a legitimate username and/or password the victim uses in the subject line of the email.
Cybercriminals can get large batches of information like email addresses, usernames, and passwords that have been illegally obtained from data breaches.
"Change your passwords frequently and do not use the same username and password for all of your logins or accounts," Brnovich said.
If you receive a sextortion threat, contact your local FBI field office and file a complaint through the FBI’s internet crime complaint system ic3.gov.
