Scam/blackmail emails

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amulheirn
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Scam/blackmail emails

Post by amulheirn »

Is anyone here receiving blackmail emails like this example?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments ... mail_scam/

Possibly with your forum name and password included as 'identifying information' to make the scam seem more personal? I've had one and one other person has too - was just interested to see if it is a wider problem.

PM me if you're worried.

Cheers,
Andy
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clive
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by clive »

Nothing here yet.
Cheers, Clive.

(If I'm not here I'm in my workshop or on the golf course!)
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peterc
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by peterc »

Seen nothing here but then google mail does seem to do a good job of binning all the spam.
Reading the content I would have to ask who has their computer in the bedroom and leaves the camera on?
Peter C
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simonjrwinter
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by simonjrwinter »

Yep, got one today. Particularly nasty started off quite believable by giving me my own password (an old one) then went on to talk about smutty websites and “I know your secret” etc etc. Then something about having taken control of my webcam (I don’t have one)
I’d love to get hold of these scumbags.
Simon
TR6 (V8) Hawk 289 FIA (V8) Doing my bit for global warming.
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amulheirn
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by amulheirn »

Yes - quite annoying. Here's something from the Independent on this, published a few days ago - the advice being not to panic or pay up:

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-styl ... 63196.html

If anyone's really worried, changing your passwords is a good idea. You can also use a password manager such as 1Password (https://1password.com) to generate new passwords and store them in an encrypted 'vault' on your hard disk. Just make sure you back up your disk.
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Phil Riley
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by Phil Riley »

I noticed a generic one in my spam folder a couple of weeks ago, but one appeared in my inbox a few days ago which revealed my T289R password, which has now been changed. However, following a google search, I've just discovered today that I did use the same password 8 years ago, just a couple of times, on a kit car forum, which I'd completely forgotten I'd signed up to.
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peterc
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by peterc »

Andrew,
Which passwords do you recommend changing. The email password or the clubs forum access. Chances are that they are sending out 10's of thousands of these emails in the hope that they can catch someone out and infiltrate their PC. They don't necessarily know your email password.
Peter C
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Phil Riley
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by Phil Riley »

Email password should be okay. It was my forum password which they knew.

My worry is if they start threatening to reveal my eBay buying habits to the Mrs – I might just have to pay up!
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amulheirn
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Re: Scam/blackmail emails

Post by amulheirn »

I guess a periodic change of passwords on both is a good thing. What you change depends what information you think might have been compromised. The message I got contained no username or password so I just deleted it.

On a related note: We are in a period of transition to the new membership system right now. About 50% of members have been migrated - if that includes you, then you will have received an email from me telling you so.

If that is the case, please change your password in the new Membership Database - click here to log in.

The reason for this is that when you change the password in the Membership DB, it syncs up the new password on all the other systems. If you only change your password on the forum, the Members DB will continue using the old password, while the new password will be active on the forum. Could be confusing...
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