CLEARWATER, Fla. — The FBI is warning people about a new email scam that’s blackmailing people who may have clicked on inappropriate websites.
The scammers claim that they hacked into your home computer webcam and captured you doing things while on the internet that you wouldn’t want other people to see.
"If you actually have been watching porn sites, this one is a scary one," said Stu Sjouwerman, founder of internet security company,"KnowBe4."
The email scammers are sending out has your old password in the subject line. They claim to be a hacker who recorded you watching pornography and screen-recorded the videos you watched. Then, they threaten to send the videos to all of your contacts if you don’t pay them $1,200-$1,600 in bitcoins.
"Is this a scam, yes. These guys only have one of your old passwords and that’s how they make it look real," said Sjouwerman.
So how did they get your old password and email? Sjouwerman says in this day and age everyone’s information has been leaked in some way.
"It now lives in the dark web and bad guys are buying and selling this stuff," said Sjouwerman.
However, Sjouwerman says it is actually possible for people to hack into your computer and webcam.
He says to protect yourself from being hacked: Don’t click on links in emails and don’t open attachments unless you asked for them. And, like in this case, never send bitcoin money to scammers.
For people who want more information about staying safe online, click here and use the password: homecourse.
