Cyber Defense eMagazine December Edition for 2021

Sextortion Email Scams
What to Do and How to Respond
By Harman Singh, director at Cyphere
Sextortion emails scams are becoming more common, but how can you tell if it's a legitimate request for
money or an actual sextortion scam? Here are some signs to a lookout. First off, if the person is asking
for money in order to send pictures back, this is most likely a scam. Second, if the sender threatens
physical violence against you or your loved ones unless you pay up right away- delete them immediately!
Scammers may access your information through a phishing attempt or any other hacking technique.
Finally, before paying any of these scammers any amount of money, please read about such scams
online, especially your individual country’s law enforcement websites, action fraud websites, and consult
with someone who knows about internet security.
What is a sextortion email?
A sextortion scam uses blackmail to coerce the potential victim into paying money under the threat of
publishing or threatening physical violence. The scammers will most often use the photos they've
obtained illegally as leverage for this type of cybercrime.
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