New sextortion scam says your spouse is cheating!

A new sextortion is now targeting married couples, saying their husband or wife is cheating and containing links to the alleged evidence.

In most sextortion scams, the scammers pretend to have hacked the victim's computer to steal nude images or videos of them engaging in sexual acts. They then threaten the victim with sending the material to friends and family or leaking it online, and demand money.

When these scams first appeared in 2018, they made scammers up to $50,000 in a week. Since then, many variations of sextortion scams have emerged, such as the one with the victim's spouse supposedly cheating on them.

Sexextortion scams: Married couples targeted

This new campaign appears to have started about three weeks ago, with married users reporting on Reddit that they received strange emailsabout their spouse's alleged infidelity.

See also: Meta removes 63,000 Instagram accounts due to 'sextortion'

“They have used our full names (even my middle last name which I hardly ever use anywhere) and I’m not sure how they found this information. I’m pretty sure it’s a scam, but I couldn’t find any information about it online. Has this happened to anyone? It’s so creepy,” one recipient of the email said on Reddit.

Recipients reported receiving emails from different domains, including 3bigs[.]com and savkar[.]ai with the subject line “Hi [name], check this report.”

Sextortion emails claim that the recipient's spouse has been hacked and data stolen from his devices, indicating that he is unfaithful.

The full text of this email is as follows:

“[Spouse name] is cheating on you. Here is some proof

As a cybersecurity company, we have found information about [spouse's name] that may be of interest to you.

We have created a full backup of his disk (We have his entire address book, social, location history, dating apps, all files, phone numbers and addresses of all his contacts) and we are willing to give you full access to this data. For more details visit our website“.

What made most email concerned was the use of names not commonly used online, such as first names, middle names, or even their pet's name.

See also: Wizz removed from App Store and Google Play due to sextortion attacks

While it's not certain how the scammers gained access to this information, many Reddit users claim that they had only shared it with a wedding planning websitecalled The Knot.

Sextortion scams are now very widespread and most people in this campaign were able to recognize it and delete the messages.

It is worth noting, however, that this was a clever sextortion scam, with the bait being that the victim’s spouse is cheating on them. These scams often attempt to elicit strong emotional responses. By inducing feelings of jealousy and betrayal, the attackers aim to coerce individuals into paying for alleged proof or keeping the alleged information secret. Victims can find themselves trapped in a web of fear and paranoia, believing the legitimacy of the claims presented in the emails. It is important for recipients of such messages to approach the situation with skepticism and seek the truth rather than reacting impulsively. Reporting these scams to the appropriate authorities can also help combat this disturbing trend and protect potential victims from further harm.

See also: Deepfake & Sextortion: Fraudsters create inappropriate content using your social media

As technology continues to advance, cybercriminals are finding new ways to exploit and manipulate individuals for financial gain. Extortion scams are just one example of how these criminals capitalize on people’s fears and insecurities. It’s important for everyone to be aware of these ongoing threats and stay vigilant about protecting themselves online.

Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com