This is one of the most comon scam emails out there and it is because it is easily done.
We have another article about this very same issue with another exmple here: SCAM emails: I got an email from my own email address, did I get hacked?
- The first thing to do is don't panic, chances are that you were not hacked.
- Second, do not reply, do not open any attachments and do not send any payment.
Any programer, with even little programing knowledge can send an email from any address to any address, and this is because we don't need access to a specific email account in order to send an email "from" that address.
For example, let's say your email address is [email protected], in php the code looks like this (documentation):
mail('[email protected]','I hacked your account','I got access to your email','[email protected]')
// TO SUBJECT MESSAGE FROM
And that's it, the code above will send an email to [email protected] from [email protected] with the subject I hacked your account, and the message "I am a hacker and got access to your email".
As you can tell it is very easy, so if you got an email claiming that they hacked you and that they have all your information, because you were in a pornohgtaphic website, or some spy was trying to get information form you, or whatever reason, ignore and erase the email, it is a scam.
Here is another example of one of those emails:
Hello!
I'm a member of an international hacker group.
As you could probably have guessed, your account ________ was hacked, because I sent message you from it.
Now I have access to you accounts!
For example, your password for ________ is mpccb2
Within a period from ________ to __________, you were infected by the virus we've created, through an adult website you've visited.
So far, we have access to your messages, social media accounts, and messengers.
Moreover, we've gotten full damps of these data.
We are aware of your little and big secrets...yeah, you do have them. We saw and recorded your doings on porn websites. Your tastes are so weird, you know..
But the key thing is that sometimes we recorded you with your webcam, syncing the recordings with what you watched!
I think you are not interested show this video to your friends, relatives, and your intimate one...
Transfer $800 to our Bitcoin wallet: 1CMQMKmvT4hz2k2ijyxVxN7fHS62K7uQ7z
If you don't know about Bitcoin please input in Google "buy BTC". It's really easy.
I guarantee that after that, we'll erase all your "data" :)
A timer will start once you read this message. You have 48 hours to pay the above-mentioned amount.
Your data will be erased once the money are transferred.
If they are not, all your messages and videos recorded will be automatically sent to all your contacts found on your devices at the moment of infection.
You should always think about your security.
We hope this case will teach you to keep secrets.
Take care of yourself.
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