Scammers have recently adopted a new tactic in sextortion attacks, targeting victims with threatening emails containing personal information and images of their home or workplace.
Description
Scammers are now sending threatening emails from random Gmail accounts to victims, including personal information like addresses and phone numbers [3]. Attached to these emails are PDF documents with images of the victim’s home or workplace [3], likely obtained from Google Street View [3]. The scammers demand payment in bitcoin to prevent the release of stolen intimate photos or videos to the victim’s contacts. This approach is more direct and intimidating [2], as the scammers use the victim’s own address and phone number to further intimidate them. Researchers believe that attackers create images of victims’ addresses using mapping services like Google Street View to evade detection by security tools [4]. Jim Temmer [1], president of Wisconsin’s Better Business Bureau [1], warns that scammers manipulate victims into paying by threatening to expose their online activities or private photos.
Conclusion
This new tactic in sextortion attacks poses a serious threat to victims’ privacy and security. It is important for individuals to be cautious and vigilant when receiving unsolicited emails containing personal information. Organizations and law enforcement agencies should work together to raise awareness about these scams and provide resources for victims to report such incidents. In the future, it is crucial for security measures to be strengthened to prevent scammers from exploiting personal information for malicious purposes.
References
[1] https://www.cbs58.com/news/warning-scammers-using-public-images-of-peoples-homes-other-personal-info-to-extort-them
[2] https://siliconangle.com/2024/09/17/cofense-uncovers-new-sextortion-scam-tactics-involving-google-street-view-images/
[3] https://securityboulevard.com/2024/09/extortion-scams-threat-actors-utilize-google-street-view-in-latest-tactic/
[4] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/google-street-view-extortion/
