Combat Sextortion – Webcam Blackmail

Living Magazines Herts Police Headquarters

Police continue to receive numerous reports of Hertfordshire residents receiving threatening emails. The sender claims to have recorded the recipient accessing adult or pornographic websites.

The National Crime Agency has published an updated self-help guideline relating to Sextortion Webcam blackmails.

More than 9,000 reports of this type of phishing email have been received by phishing.gov in April 2020.

What is sextortion?

When someone you have met online encourages you to carry out a sexual act in front of your webcam and then threatens to post a recording of you online or send a copy to friends or family unless you pay them money. This is a form of blackmail known as sextortion.

Please follow these top cyber tips:

  • Create separate, strong passwords for your email account and each website you use, using three random words
  • Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)
  • Update your devices
  • Turn on backup
  • Never open an attachment or click on links in unexpected emails

Cyber security experts suggest you visit https://haveibeenpwned.com/ to test your email address.

This site tells you which websites have been compromised that hold your personal data.

You can then change the password for any websites using that password. Pwned is slang for being defeated by an opponent.

Please note this is not a Police website.

If you have received a phishing email (of any kind) please forward to report@phishing.gov.uk.

If you are victim of any fraud please report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or phone 0800 123 2040.