Cyber Defense eMagazine December Edition for 2021

We have shared a few tips for preventing sextortion scams.
1. Use burner email addresses, also known as disposable email addresses for temporary online
accounts.
2. Don't share any photos that you think can be misused against you. If you aren’t sure, don’t do it even
with someone you trust.
3. Never send money to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
4. If the person is asking for money in order to send pictures back, this is most likely a scam.
5. Do not give out personal data ever! If they know where you live and have your full name, it's even
easier for them to extort more from you using fear.
6. Do not ever share any personal information with anyone online.
7. If you fear someone may have actually accessed your account and taken compromising pictures of
yourself, contact the authorities and check your local law enforcement official websites. Ask for help in
getting those images removed.
8. Use two-factor authentication on all accounts.
9. Always use secure passwords with both letters and numbers, so it's harder to guess or hack your
account. Use a password manager for easy handling of all your passwords
10. Create a unique secure password for every website (especially social media) using a password
manager. If possible, use a password manager to store all your secrets and generate them randomly
when required.
11. Set up automatic security alerts, so you know if your accounts have been accessed by someone
other than yourself.
12. Don't open emails from unknown people, and always check the link associated with it, look out for
the red flags such as hyphens in the address, typo squatting errors or too good to be true offers giving
away hints about a possible scam.
How will I know if I'm being targeted by a sextortion email scam?
Sextortion scams have several different warning signs to look out for. If the sender asks you for money
in order to send pictures back, this is most probably a scam and should be deleted immediately.
Scammers also often use threats of physical violence or public humiliation as leverage against the
potential victim. If you ever receive a sextortion email like this, delete it and do not send any money to
the sender. Most importantly, if someone is threatening physical violence or your loved ones unless you
pay up- contact law enforcement officials right away!
Cyber Defense eMagazine – December 2021 Edition 126
Copyright © 2021, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.