Do not get caught - or threatened into this one

He’s bound to hit on someone with a guilty conscience!

I've twice had a similar email. It's not nice. I think the email I got said that the sender had taken over the camera on my computer and that they had filmed me doing naughty things. I had to laugh at that - I have a cover over the camera lens on the computer, so they'd have been hard pushed to film anything.

So I ignored both demands for money and, surprise (!), heard no more.

Yes, that is why one can tell the threats are a load of nonsense. You and I, Septimia, have got this email even though there is nothing on our computers to threaten us with - and they haven't found this out, so clearly have not done anything else to our computers either, so haven't looked at anyone elses computer either.

I've had similar. Pretty terrifying at first, but when he said he would put my naughty videos online I then realised it was a scam. I simply don't have any naughty videos.

Dh had similar on Saturday that he had been watching hard porn and had to pay a substantial amount of money or everyone would know. Idk what else it said as dh deleted in on my advice as I’d heard of similar spams. Not nice whatever.

Crikey, is that one still doing the rounds? That has been going since the internet started!!

I'd say publish and be damned! My Internet activity would bore the socks off any watcher 😴

The message goes on about how you have to pay them in Bitcoin and how to go about buying it. Yeah, right. Your not getting any of my Bitcoins matey. Back in your box.

The first time you see it yes it is a bit scary but quickly dismissed. There are some individuals who may do "naughty" things in front of their computers while watching adult videos and pics. Im pretty broadminded about that so long as it doesnt involve kiddies. This kind of thing is designed to scare the life out of the poor sods. Put a post is label on your camera lens if your going to do an "adults in private" session.

I sometimes get those emails in my Junk folder. The ‘evidence’ they claim they have I know 1000% is non-existent so I just block the sender and delete.

Thanks MOnica

The police once seized DH's computer and accused him of downloading child pornography. I told the DS who took it away that the only things he would find on it would be pictures of Italy and Cats. When he brought it back 3 months later (apparently we weren't an important case) he said "You were right, Italy and cats"

Primrose53, that surprises me, as it is one i have not had before.

Deedaa Many years the father of a friend found an unknown charge on his credit card, contacted the credit card company, who investigated, said it was an error and repaid the money. A year later the police turned up as the mischarge was from a child porn company and his number had turned up on a list of credit card numbers of customers. They took away his computer and ransacked his house, they could find absolutely nothing associated with child pornography.

He told them about the mischarge, the credit company confirned it had been an error and had been paid back. This was all ignored. He was up in court and in the papers, his friends ostracised him, his marriage broke down, he could not see his grandchildren and eventually my friend had a breakdown.

When the case finally came to court, the CPS said they were withdrawing all charges, as it was quite clear it was a computer mischarge, which had been highlighted at the time and there was no evidence he had any interest in child pornography.

Deedaa your DH was very very lucky.

I’ve had this as well, reported as inappropriate content

This particular scam always makes me laugh. My computer activity will consist of visiting Gransnet and watching sewing videos on YouTube. I can’t imagine who would get turned on by that!

I've had the first part of that scam message but didn't get the naughties part - wish I had as then would have been certain it was a scam. At the same time my screen was frozen and cursor would not move. I was really frightened, phoned my son in tears and he was able to help me sort it out over the phone. These people cause so much distress.

Had a few of these over the years. They are horrible and disturbing.

Yes - I've had this one a number of times too from various email addresses - knew straight away that it was a scam. Some nasty people out there!

As several have said, this type of email is UTTER DRIVEL. I've had the same thing, and have NO Camera!

Please forward any such twaddle to [email protected] and then delete it. Similar stuff re Virgin Media, assorted banks, or various courier firms etc, can also usually also be forwarded to the scam depts of those orgs (email IDs easily found by Mr Google).

Years ago my virus checker failed and a virus gremlin that had been secreted on a website got across into my PC, and demanded a ransom to unlock my files. I used a different PC to find the antidote, and fooled the scammer software to unlock the PC again. I also learned (you can get specialist help if needed) how to find where that gremlin has been plonked, usually in a part of the PC that typically is hidden from you, but you can gain access if you know how.

You can do security sweeps of your PC as a regular thing, and virus checkers are good (if kept up to date!) and plenty free ones around, but these days I gather that most I'net service providers are much better at stopping these threats before they'd even get to you?

There's a good feature on radio 4 on scams at the moment

Deedaa

The police once seized DH's computer and accused him of downloading child pornography. I told the DS who took it away that the only things he would find on it would be pictures of Italy and Cats. When he brought it back 3 months later (apparently we weren't an important case) he said "You were right, Italy and cats"

How are people supposed to continue with their lives for 3 months without their computer? I hope you got compensation!
I'd probably have had to buy a replacement.
My laptop froze the other day and the screen went black. I'd paused something I was watching to go to deal with my dinner and when I returned it wouldn't reopen. I got severely stressed about all the things I needed to do online. I spent the evening setting up online banking on my smartphone to check I had enough in my account to pay the mortgage next day - fortunately just enough without transferring from savings - then continued to stress about some online training I need to do for a job coming up. I can do most things on my phone but they usually take longer and some things I can't manage at all. As I was about to go to bad I tried it again and it fired up immediately! No idea what caused it but no problems since. Phew!
I'm horrified they could keep it for so long!

bed not bad!

The VERY important thing here is to never respond in any way. At work, I received several emails from HMRC telling me that the business was owed a large amount in overpaid tax, and to click on this link etc. It was nonsense of course, and after the third such email I wanted to respond with a suitably tart message, but luckily the IT technician was in the room and told me to never do this. These nasty emails are flooded onto the net and if you open them the senders know they are on to a valid address, and any response you make can leave you open to further hacking. Delete at once was his advice.

Coincidentally, on BBC three counties radio (the JVS show) this morning, they were discussing this scam, plus various others on the show.

you n yours, bbc radio 4, today 24/10/23, was about people getting caught by scams.
and tomorrow they are broadcasting real calls to nationwide building society where customers tell lies to make transactions, as they are so under the spell of the scammer.
worth listening to. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001rqn7