The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam

Online users, please DO NOT follow the instructions in emails like the one below, which claim your mailbox has been hacked, your operating system has been infected with a virus, and you need to make payment to prevent your photos and videos from being exposed. The fake emails are being sent by cybercriminals who are attempting to frighten and trick their potential victims into making payments for some false claims.

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The Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus Scam

It appears the cybercriminals got their potential victims old passwords from a hack or security breach of a few internet giants, which took place months ago. The cybercriminals then created the fake email (see below) and place the password in them to convince the recipients their claims are true.

But, the internet giants affected by the security breach have forced their users to change their passwords to prevent the cybercriminals from gaining access to their accounts. So, those old passwords will not help the cybercrooks.

"Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam

From: @hotmail.ca <@hotmail.ca>

Sent: October 20, 2018 3:04 AM

Subject: @hotmail.ca is hacked

Hello!

My nickname in darknet is alvin98.

I hacked this mailbox more than six months ago,

through it I infected your operating system with a virus (trojan) created by me and have been monitoring you for a long time.

So, your password from @hotmail.ca is *

Even if you changed the password after that - it does not matter, my virus intercepted all the caching data on your computer

and automatically saved access for me.

I have access to all your accounts, social networks, email, browsing history.

Accordingly, I have the data of all your contacts, files from your computer, photos and videos.

I was most struck by the intimate content sites that you occasionally visit.

You have a very wild imagination, I tell you!

During your pastime and entertainment there, I took screenshot through the camera of your device, synchronizing with what you are watching.

Oh my god! You are so funny and excited!

I think that you do not want all your contacts to get these files, right?

If you are of the same opinion, then I think that $892 is quite a fair price to destroy the dirt I created.

Send the above amount on my BTC wallet (bitcoin): 1NXNt72qfMhPZDffUEqryCYpEUzyR6LmgH

As soon as the above amount is received, I guarantee that the data will be deleted, I do not need it.

Otherwise, these files and history of visiting sites will get all your contacts from your device.

Also, I'll send to everyone your contact access to your email and access logs, I have carefully saved it!

Since reading this letter you have 48 hours!

After your reading this message, I'll receive an automatic notification that you have seen the letter.

I hope I taught you a good lesson.

Do not be so nonchalant, please visit only to proven resources, and don't enter your passwords anywhere!

Good luck!

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 39)

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December 29, 2019 at 4:22 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
info

"Be sure to read this message! Your personal data is threatened!

Hi, stranger!

I hacked your device, because I sent you this message from your account.

If you have already changed your password, my malware will be intercepts it every time.

You may not know me, and you are most likely wondering why you are receiving this email, right?

In fact, I posted a malicious program on adults (pornography) of some websites, and you know that you visited these websites to enjoy

(you know what I mean).

While you were watching video clips,

my trojan started working as a RDP (remote desktop) with a keylogger that gave me access to your screen as well as a webcam.

Immediately after this, my program gathered all your contacts from messenger, social networks, and also by e-mail.

What I've done?

I made a double screen video.

The first part shows the video you watched (you have good taste, yes ... but strange for me and other normal people),

and the second part shows the recording of your webcam.

What should you do?

Well, I think $1000 (USD dollars) is a fair price for our little secret.

You will make a bitcoin payment (if you don't know, look for "how to buy bitcoins" on Google).

BTC Address: 1NKrw3sP7C9igNozkB2Pd4VnZuk8d6WGV

(This is CASE sensitive, please copy and paste it)

Remarks:

You have 2 days (48 hours) to pay. (I have a special code, and at the moment I know that you have read this email).

If I don't get bitcoins, I will send your video to all your contacts, including family members, colleagues, etc.

However, if I am paid, I will immediately destroy the video, and my trojan will be destruct someself.

If you want to get proof, answer "Yes!" and resend this letter to youself.

And I will definitely send your video to your any 19 contacts.

This is a non-negotiable offer, so please do not waste my personal and other people's time by replying to this email.

Bye!"

Here is another scam.

Delete

June 20, 2019 at 10:21 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
info

14qdpR8q1hkrm1rEmJYS6hcC4RyotdwGV5 is another BTC account used by the scammers.

Delete

June 17, 2019 at 2:53 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
an anonymous user from: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

1DZs3Qng8jR5tnLRFbHz5AT9Go6SV25FR3 is another BTC account used by the scammers.

Delete

June 15, 2019 at 7:39 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
info

1DZs3Qng8jR5tnLRFbHz5AT9Go6SV25FR3 is the scammers BTC wallet:

Delete

June 12, 2019 at 8:22 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
info

1MeSv4fBS9BPEV5N5oySxDqnR2JLbchqF9 is another BTC account used by the scammers.

Delete

June 10, 2019 at 12:26 PM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
info

13vL3fM77TTZFsPG8Y76bSWHrDyCK3GrvF is another BTC used by scammers.

Delete

May 27, 2019 at 12:25 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
an anonymous user from: Pudong Xinqu, Shanghai, China

This is another bitcoin account used by scammers: 179UHmZhfhaRg1mMTHjgjR1VXP514YzZj

Delete

May 24, 2019 at 12:37 AM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
an anonymous user from: Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Another BT wallet: 1LwoM3aSGNhtPyGrH9XAZWMAxmjkFe6zLa

Delete

May 10, 2019 at 3:20 PM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
info

Another BTC accounts used by the scammers:

1JHePxmiJh11EuEZfNpooWLC4bwf8g5T3e

12W1Jhppk5MXywVQszM45KbYZuvcsfNUE7

Delete

May 9, 2019 at 9:34 PM by
The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam
an anonymous user from: Haikou, Hainan, China

1GLvEgpHZxBMhkcoUXP69owPTbHs51mHGe is another BitCoin account used by them.

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

The "Your Mailbox Hacked and Operating System Infected with a Virus" Scam