Police Scotland has issued a warning after nearly 100 people were targeted in an email sextortion scam in the space of a few days.
The con involves emails being sent to internet users with the blackmailer claiming to have video footage of the recipient watching pornography.
The fraudster then demands payment in Bitcoin, threatening to post the footage online if they’re not paid.
Sixteen reports were made to Police Scotland overnight on Thursday, April 9.
By Tuesday, 96 people from across every police division in Scotland had made a complaint.
Detective inspector Michael McCullagh said: “These type of scams aren’t unusual however this particular suspect or group has used a similar method and wording in every email and in greater numbers than we normally see.
“The emails show current or legacy passwords belonging to the victim, making the threat seem credible.
“This is a tactic used by criminals to alarm potential victims.
“Awareness is crucial to avoid becoming a victim to this type of crime and I would encourage people to recognise this.
“Don’t make any payment, don’t reply to the email and take measures to enhance your security such as changing your passwords.”
Further details on this type of crime and how to protect yourself can be found here.
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