I received a bitcoin blackmail email. What to do?

I received a bitcoin blackmail email. What to do?

One form of blackmail involves threatening to release embarrassing photos or information unless the victim pays a ransom in Bitcoin. Other blackmail demands include threats of violence against the victim’s family or friends and threats to post private information on social media.

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Similar threats are sometimes sent out en masse. The content of the message may be a bluff, but it does not, in and of itself, allow you to assess the security of your device. An email does not prove either that your account has been hacked or that your accounts are secure. An old password, email address, or other personal information may have come from a previous data breach or public sources. The fact that they are mentioned does not confirm that the attacker currently has access to your computer.

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A simple way to stop blackmail scammers "on Bitcoin"

Do not open any links or attachments from the blackmailer. They may lead to data theft or malware. Do not send them any additional information.

Do not respond or negotiate. Paying does not guarantee that the threats will stop. Keep evidence; tailor your next steps to the actual signs of infringement.

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How to protect yourself from "bitcoin" blackmail

Malware allows cybercriminals to monitor your online activity and access sensitive information, such as credit card details, bank accounts and passwords, among others. To protect yourself from these threats, always remember to:

• The name of a known sender may be forged. Verify a suspicious message through an independent, trusted contact channel without opening any links in it;
• If you are not expecting an email from someone you know, DO NOT open it or download any attachments or files;
• Update all programs and operating systems on your devices; don't use pirated software and make sure all your software is original through legitimate methods. If you can't afford to purchase programs outright, there are many free alternatives available online
• Use long, unique passwords and a password manager; enable multi-factor authentication. If a password has been compromised in a data breach or reused, change it through the service’s official website. Check your account’s active sessions.

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The original article included the following quote without attributing it to an author. It is not a diagnosis of your device:

"If you have not clicked on anything suspicious or opened any suspicious links on your computer, there is no reason to believe that your computer has been breached. It is highly unlikely that someone managed to hack into your system just because they sent you an email."

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I received an email from a bitcoin hacker - am I at risk?

A threat sent via email alone does not confirm a hack. However, the security of your accounts and cryptocurrency cannot be guaranteed. Check the service’s official notifications and look for signs of unauthorized access.

The e-mail you receive is an attempt at social engineering: taking advantage of the recipient's concern for his or her own safety to induce him or her to take an action he or she would not otherwise take. In this case, by suggesting that someone has stolen your funds, the sender is trying to get you to send money.

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Do not send bitcoins in response to blackmail. Save the message, its headers, and any payment details. You can report a suspicious email to CERT Polska; report actual threats and losses to the police as well.

The lack of convincing evidence in the email does not rule out other threats. Do not provide any confidential information. If you notice signs of a breach, seek official assistance from your service provider instead of following the instructions or calling the phone number provided in the threat.

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Examples of BTC blackmail emails with commentary

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1) An example of a scammer's message

‍Hello,
I'm writing to you because I sent you an e-mail the other day and I'm sure you'll be interested in what I have to say.

My malware has collected all your contacts from social networks, email and instant messaging that you have visited. If you don't know how it works, here's a simple explanation:

My software was downloaded to your computer and allowed me to access your camera and microphone at any time. Then my software gathered all the data from your computer and collected a lot of embarrassing material from you (such as videos taken with your camera). I think $945 is a fair price for our little secret. You will make the payment using bitcoin (if you don't know how to do it, search for "how to buy bitcoin and how to send payment" on Google). The sum should be sent in BTC currency.

BTC wallet: XXXX

2) A short and concise attempt to defraud you, along with a suspicious link

‍Welcome, your btc was sent to an anonymous address. Click the link below to get your bitcoin back.

http://dnblacksite.com/recover-btc?id=7e178f2e4d7c4b3a0f7cd3ad9b28cd1d315fbd27

3) Sophisticated attempt at fraud

Hello,

We have access to your operating system. We have installed RAT software on your device. We know that you have visited some pornography websites, and the RAT software gave us access to the front camera of your device. We then made a two-screen video. The first part shows the video you watched, the second part shows the view from your device's camera (it records you while you watch the video). What should you do? We think $800 is a fair price for our silence.

If we do not receive bitcoin, we will send your video to all your contacts, including relatives, co-workers and so on. Nevertheless, if we receive payment, we will immediately destroy the video. If you want proof, reply "Yes!" and we will send your video to your 5 friends. This is a non-negotiable offer, so please do not waste my and your personal time by responding to this e-mail.

Pay with Bitcoin.

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How blackmailing bitcoin scammers operate in 2022

The modus operandi is simple: criminals spread malware to computers around the world, waiting for the right victim. When a user clicks on such an attachment, it infects his or her computer with ransomware that encrypts all the data on the computer.

Simply receiving a threatening email is not the same as ransomware that actually encrypts or locks files. If signs of such an attack are present, an incident response is required; general examples of spam do not apply in this case.

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The blackmailers also operate through a widespread phishing campaign that relies on emails impersonating messages from major companies such as DHL, UPS and WhatsApp. The emails used in this campaign are well-designed and go beyond simple phishing attempts, using names such as "DHL package delivery error" or "UPS tracking update," which are more likely to catch the victim's attention.

They also use links that appear genuine at first glance, but actually lead to malicious sites hosted on services such as Cloudflare and Microsoft Azure. Most people will not recognize these domains as fake so they will open the link without hesitation and their computer will be infected with malware.

Other bitcoin scams are those in which scammers promise to multiply your investment by as much as 10 times or even 100 times. They show you screenshots depicting how they supposedly made some money with the bitcoin multiplier and lure you into investing in their system.

You should never be fooled by bitcoin multipliers, as they are all scams. Often you would have to invest a large sum of money to get a small return, so it's not worth the risk. It's also a common scam if someone promises you access to their secret mining system, which will earn you hundreds of bitcoins a day. What really happens is that he steals your investment and disappears with the money.

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Typical tricks of bitcoin scammers. Don't be fooled.

In the world of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, there are people who are taking advantage of the trust our society places in digital currencies in an attempt to defraud their hard-earned money. These scams usually focus on emails that appear to come from a reliable source (such as an email purporting to be from a

your bank or the IRS) that inform you that the recipient has received a large sum of money and must pay taxes on it immediately. While this may seem like an easy way to grab a quick buck, these scams can be dangerous - the scammers behind them may use hacked email addresses from hacked databases or other illegal sources.

They may also use forged documents or websites to get you to send the requested amount of money. You should always take a moment to verify whether or not an email or website is genuine - if it asks for payment or personal information, don't click suspicious links, open attachments or send money.

There are many ways scammers try to get your information and steal your money. Here are some common tricks they use:

• Phishing is the act of impersonating a trusted person or company in order to steal information. Do not log in using a link in a suspicious message; instead, go directly to the service's official website.
• Fake sites: sites that look like the real thing, but are not! These sites usually ask for personal information or try to get you to send money without knowing why. Make sure the URL is correct before entering any private information on a new site.
• A fake document may appear to be from a bank or government agency. Verify the request through an official channel of that organization that you are familiar with. Do not use the contact information or links provided in the suspicious document.

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Hacked bitcoin account. What are my options?

If you've been hacked, you're not alone! This is a common problem for Bitcoin users, and the good news is that there are ways to protect yourself from this type of theft.

If someone has learned your private key or recovery phrase, consider your wallet compromised. Proving your identity does not invalidate the disclosed key. If funds are still in the wallet, transfer them to a new wallet created on a secure device. Do not share your keys or recovery phrase with anyone.

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The transaction history shows the movement of funds at a given address. The absence of new transactions does not prove that the private key or recovery phrase has not been compromised.

Changing your app password does not invalidate the private key or recovery phrase that an attacker knows. If the issue involves your account with a service provider, use the provider’s official support channel. Be wary of people who promise to recover your cryptocurrency in exchange for a fee or your wallet information.

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Bitcoin blackmail email - cases described on the forum

The following quotes, which include examples of blackmail, are taken from an older version of the article. The authorship of these quotes and the details of the events described have not been independently verified. The link to https://forum.bitcoin.pl/ has been retained.

"I received an email claiming that I was being watched by my webcam when I visited adult sites, and that they had video on me. I didn't pay and nothing bad happened."

"I received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, who said I owed tax on income from a business I don't own. They threatened to sue me or suspend my driver's license if I didn't pay them the tax immediately or send bitcoin to their wallet. I got scared , paid and later found out it was a scam."

"I repeatedly receive emails from the sender claiming that they have my passwords to various accounts and that if I don't pay them 0.1 BTC, they will send the information to these sites and my identity will be exposed."

"I am a Bitcoin user from Norway. I have received a lot of spam over the years, but I usually delete them without thinking twice. I recently received an email from someone claiming to have hacked into my computer and demanding that I send 0.2 BTC to the address at the address provided within 10 minutes or he would publish all my files online - I wasn't fooled, nothing ever happened."

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What have these cases of BTC blackmail described on the forum taught us?

Posts from the forum are historical examples, not confirmation of your account's security. Regardless of whether the threat is a bluff, keep the evidence and do not pay the blackmailer.

• You should never send money to anyone you don't know , even if they blackmail you. If you pay, there is a high probability that you will be attacked again and again until your money runs out.
• Verify all the information you receive online!
• Don't reply. Before you block the sender or mark the message as spam, save the message along with its headers and other evidence.

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Don't repeat these mistakes of people who have received bitcoin blackmail

Do not pay in response to a threat. Keep the evidence and report the suspicious message to CERT Polska. Do not assume, based on the email, that your files are intact. If there are signs of a breach, file encryption, or unknown transactions, a separate incident response is required.

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Scam demanding bitcoin payments. What and how.

Bitcoin is a very attractive currency that we can use to pay for things online and make payments using it. Because of its attractiveness, it is exposed to many attacks by cybercriminals , which target us. The above article outlines the scams you may encounter with Bitcoin. We hope that the whole thing will be a warning for you and you will not be scammed!

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