New York State Police Warning About Potential Scam
The New York State Police is alerting the public about a nationwide automated sextortion scam, where scammers use email addresses to intimidate victims into making payments through threats of embarrassment.
These scammers obtain personal information, including emails, from illegal sources on the dark web. They contact victims claiming to have their personal details, sometimes even including a photo of the victim’s home, and demand payment in Bitcoin to avoid consequences.
The scammers further threaten to embarrass the victim by claiming they’ve installed spyware on their devices, granting access to personal accounts and tracking their internet activity.
To create urgency, the scammer often alleges possession of compromising images, such as the victim viewing pornographic content, and threatens to share this with the victim’s contacts within 24-48 hours unless payment is made in Bitcoin.
However, despite these intimidating claims, the scammer does not have access to the victim's device or personal information.
If you receive such an email, do not engage or provide any personal information, including birthdates, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, or financial details.
Victims are advised to block the sender, delete the email, and report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
If you believe you are a victim of sextortion or identity theft, contact your local FBI office or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. The New York State Police or local law enforcement agencies can also assist with criminal investigations.