Blackmail Scam

The police have a department that deals with interest scams etc
It definitely needs reporting to the police.... that is awful

I'm sorry this has happened to you. There's lots of information in this Guardian article, which might help (seems it happens quite frequently, too): www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2019/jan/17/phishing-email-blackmail-sextortion-webcam

I had that a few months ago, deleted, ignored and nothing since.

This is where you report it: www.actionfraud.police.uk/

I've read about it so you are not alone. Just report it and then stop worrying.

The lengths these monsters will go to to extort money. What a dreadful scam this is.

Imagine how those who do download this muck are going to react ?

....well I would have no sympathies with anyone who did.....!

I had two of those in quick succession, and just deleted them (after having a bit of a laugh as one suggested they had video of me looking "hot")
There was no comeback.

I had the same email a month or so ago FarNorth it certainly put the wind up me at the time, they gave me 48 hours to pay or, as you said, this fictitious video was going to my friends and family. I deleted it and nothing has happened. If only there was a way to reach through the keyboard and grab the scumbag by the throat for the worry and stress they cause. Sadly, some people would fall for it.

Thanks for the replies.
I wasn't too worried but can see how some might be, fearing a fake video had been created.

Also, if you haven't changed your password for a while, you could think they have access to private info.

The password they quoted is one I don't use now.

I'll check out the links given above. Thank you.

People are entitled to watch legal porn, if they want, and may not want everyone to know about it.
I certainly don't watch any.

I've just had one from HMRC saying that I have a tax refund of £750 due. I haven't paid any income tax for a few years!

I forwarded it to HMRC phishing address.

I had a similar email recently. It came from MY OWN email address!!! It wanted over 500 bitcoins or else said it would send all my content to everyone, including my sexy photos.
Well, as I am 81 I don't have any sexy photos!!!! Nor any kind of sexy photos, so I knew it must be a scam.
I didn't tell the police. Should I ?

I ve had 2 of these , big fright at first then I laughed . I reported it as phishing . Then the tax refund came , then the non paid road tax then a demand for tv licence payment . It's alarming every time .

Thank you for the link Nonnie.
I’ve had a dodgy email, nothing to do with porn but with bank details that I was supposed to transfer church money into.

We've spent all afternoon on the phone to Microsoft and the bank after my husband received an e-mail from MS thanking him for his purchase of X Box Live for £49.99 clearly showing his credit card's last 4 digits. He doesn't have and never has had an X Box although he does have an MS account. Not knowing if this was a scam we didn't want to click on the link in the mail to his MS account so tried to log into it only to receive the message no such account existed! I then spent ages on the phone to MS and after they tried to send him a reset mail realised his account has been compromised and have removed his card details and closed it. Whoever had done it had obviously changed the e-mail address. He can try to restart it again tomorrow.

Concerned about his credit card he then rang the bank and sure enough the amount was showing on his transactions although not yet showing online. He then spent a further 20 minutes on hold waiting for the fraud department who have had to cancel his card but have refunded the money. He will receive a new card in the next week. What a performance but thank goodness he reacted straight away to the initial e-mail otherwise who knows how many other transactions could have gone through. We have no idea how this could have happened other than somehow Microsoft themselves were hacked and his e-mail address stolen. Very worrying.

I have had exactly the same email as the OP. In fact I have had it three times but just ignored them.The only spooky thing was that the password was correct and is one I use for one of the family history sites.I didn't think of it as blackmail as I wasn't guilty so there was no evidence.

It's an attempt at blackmail, by playing on people's fear.

I didn't expect anything to happen if I ignored it, but wanted to know if there is anywhere to report it to, which it seems there is.

I had a phone call 3 days ago purporting to be from HMRC stating that I had failed to respond to their payment demands for an underpaid tax bill, and that unless I spoke to them on x number, a warrant would be issued for my arrest and imprisonment! I knew this was a scam as I definitely don’t owe the tax man anything, In fact I am awaiting a refund for over paid tax!
I found it very difficult to report this scam to HMRC as it seems to want you to fill in an online reporting form, which was fiddly while I was out and about. I would have liked a phone number to call and report it to them instead.
These kinds of scams make me mad!! Imagine if I was a vulnerable or confused person who panicked and fell for it!
My DH suffers from mental health issues, and if he had received the call (even though he wouldn’t have called the number) he would have become incredibly anxious!!

I had a message left on my phone saying I was due to a refund for road tax.
From GOVUK and provided a link.
How they know my phone number I don't know but I knew it was a scam because I don't pay road tax.

I think that the police have enough to do but it could be helpful if we forward these unwanted attempts to hurt us.
My email had details of a bank account. Even if it only means that the scammers can no longer use that account it may inconvenience them.

Don't respond to any of these e-mails, check the official website of any company and you will find an address to report these scams. If you get a phone call hang up and phone the company on a number that you know and can verify is correct. Don't engage in any sort of conversation unless you have contacted them and know them to be genuine. Over the years I have had all sorts of scam emails, phone calls etc and I always report them.

BTW the police do want phishing scams to be reported, they won't contact you if you have not contacted the scammers but it does help them to build up their knowledge of who the scammers are and where they are operating.

I too have received these sick emails, just send them straight to the police emails as listed above and then delete the lot. The evil people who send them soon get tired of no response, they only thrive when people respond.

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