MR_Letter_002
Hamilton Police are warning the public about an ongoing email extortion scam after receiving numerous reports in the past week.
Victims receive an email from unknown suspects, which claim the suspects have acquired compromising pictures of the victim and direct them to send money to a Bitcoin wallet or the pictures will be sent to their friends and family.
The email claims the victim has been viewing adult content online, and it alleges that malware has captured compromising photos and videos of them. The suspect includes a photo of the victim’s house, along with their name, date of birth, and phone number, as proof of their knowledge about the victim’s identity. They then demand immediate payment to a Bitcoin wallet, threatening to release the compromising material to the victim’s family and friends if the demand is not met.
Hamilton Police urge the public to exercise caution to avoid falling victim to this scam and to report scams through our online reporting portal.
If you receive this email, do not send money or bitcoin to the suspects. As a reminder, do not give out personal information to unknown parties and be cautious when sharing personal information on websites. Do not open emails, files or links from unknown senders.
Please visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s website using the following links for tips on how to protect yourself from scams and frauds.