Serious Blackmail-Extortion Letter

[buffed]

I received the following extortion email and wonder if others have also received something similar. (Edit Update- ran a search on the gmail address used and it's starting to turn-up in blogs) Should I report this to law enforcement? Obviously it's a scam since they make no factual references to legitmize their threats and I didn't have a webcam during that time frame. This letter made into my inbox:

Hello,

Glad to inform you that four month ago your computer was infected our spyware, we had full access to your

computer during that time We have complete your adress book, all logins and passwords for "dirty sites" where

you rigistered. We had record form you webcam, incredible! Your hands may be better than hooker?

ok about deals, in 48 hours that video and screen shots will send to whole your contact group.

To prevent that funny actions and to delete spyware form you pc you can reach us by this e-mail: lampas34[at]gmail.com

and you will get instructions what to do. We recomend you to write e-mail in 24 hours to avoid promlems and maintenance and in this case we can garranty that we will not send it to your friends.

This letter and furher actions will be done automaticly via hi-tech software from china servers

Just write to e-mail:lampas34[at]gmail.com and get instructions

so, back accounting start right now.

[Farelf]

I received the following extortion email and wonder if others have also received something similar. ...

I haven't seen anything like that in a while - and then it was just an anti-spyware marketing/trojan lure sort of thing, not (hinted at) extortion. Save it in case things do develop but I would be inclined to simply treat it as spam. The only specific threat made is a bluff, you say. Complain to Google about the (supposed) abuse of their facilities - just because an address is in a spam doesn't mean it is the spammer's address, even in this case (he might be just trying to get the real owner in in trouble).

[buffed]

Complain to Google about the (supposed) abuse of their facilities - just because an address is in a spam doesn't mean it is the spammer's address,

It was impossible to find an address to notify gmail so I ended up going through some suggestions to improve their system email blank. This type of spam attack is almost certain to draw some type of criminal investigation. It's not like spamming pills or designer knock-offs.

[DavidT]

This same message has been circulating for at least six months...links:

http://www.fraudwatchers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12403

http://www.antifraudintl.org/showthread.php?t=4486

http://www.internet-love-scams.org/forum/a...php?t-4806.html

DT

[Farelf]

It was impossible to find an address to notify gmail so I ended up going through some suggestions to improve their system email blank....

An address used to report general abuse was gmail-abuse[at]google.com (just substitute [at] for [at]), not sure if it is still working - if it is, they will want to see the full spam (including full headers), if you know how to do that - or see How do I get my email program to reveal the full, unmodified email? - and THEN they may brush it off as (maybe) not coming from a gmail account, you need to make it clear you are querying about the gmail address quoted in the spam.

...This type of spam attack is almost certain to draw some type of criminal investigation. It's not like spamming pills or designer knock-offs.

Looked at dispassionately, that thing is all innuendo, the one thing actually threatened, you say yourself, has no substance and so cannot be enacted. But sure, it is an apparent extortion attempt and you should be angry. No-one but they can say how your local police might regard it, so on that basis I guess you should report it (and, although there is no hard evidence of criminality in this one case, it might prove a useful pixel in the bigger picture). Just don't get your hopes up too high. It was something like that (alluded to in my previous post) which got me started in SpamCop reporting. I was livid about it. Yours is worse. And there are worse yet out there - see http://forum.spamcop.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9164

[dizzi]

Sorry, this is probably an older post but I just caught it off google and had to share... So I received the same email from what I suppose to be the same man, and I had to be a jerk and reply but it was well worth it as it's funny... So here's the stream:

Spammer:

Hello ,

Glad to inform you that four month ago your computer was infected our spyware, we had full access to your computer during that time We have complete your address book, all logins and passwords for "dirty sites" where you registered. We had record form you web cam, incredible! Your hands may be better than hooker? OK about deals, in 48 hours that video and screen shots will send to whole your contact group.

To prevent that funny actions and to delete spyware form you PC you can reach us by this e-mail:mohamedemam1981[at]hotmail.com and you will get instructions what to do. We recommend you to write e-mail in 24 hours to avoid problems and maintenance and in this case we can guaranty that we will not send it to your friends.

This letter and further actions will be done automatically via hi-tech software from china servers

Just write to e-mail: mohamedemam1981[at]hotmail.com and get instructions

so, back accounting start right now.

My Reply:

Okay darling,

First off, four months ago, I had no working computer. Secondly, I have no web cam. And lastly I do not visit any "dirty sites" and have no contact lists on amy computers or e-mail addresses and my passwords change on a different computer on a monthly basis.

Now that's taken care of... What do you mean I'm better with my hands than a hooker? Do you often hire them?

I would not doubt it because as a woman, I would never date a man who could not use proper grammar or spelling.

But nice try, have a good night.

Spammer:

Really, i don't have time to answer for all your questions and all your scream, sorry, only 24 hours in a day, in this time i have deal wiz 1000 transfers per day. If you indifferent to your future its ok, tomorrow you will be another human In this situation you have one choice that follow me, For stop this sh** and to delete all YOUR files from my server you should talk to me so we can negotiate.

My Reply:

If there were anything to negotiate, well actually, even then I still wouldn't. I've already turned your e-mail address over to a federal group for spam-schemes like yours. And there is always more than one way... For instance... I have your e-mail which can be traced to you, who even if you did have whatever information you claim to have, which is not a possibility, can then be prosecuted for defamation of character. Hell, even with the first e-mail I could press charges for blackmail and fraud.

Spammer:

You are proving sh**. I think i have to go ahead because i just discovered that you don't give a damn likewise me. I am sorry for you.

Good Luck.

Spammer: then sent me my e-mail address and an old password and asked if it looked familiar

My Reply:

Yep that looks familiar, however all you proved is that you're the same idiot that hacked my email account 4 months ago sent out messages to all my contacts and then copied/deleted all my contacts, none of which are valid as they all returned as mail-deamons. Anyway, you obviously haven't been monitoring me as that is not my password and hasn't been for quite some time. So one person will get whatever email you send out. Good for you. Feel better now?

Spammer:

I am not kidding at the moment. I am ready to go to any length to black mail and spoil your image if you simply don't negotiate with me and now i got powerful spy loggs here. You want me to go on then tell me so i dont have time to mail you anymore and let me stop wasting ,my time. I will go to any length to get you down with the Information i have about you now. the last one i sent was the number one clue to tell you i have your info. If you want more i can get it for you now. Ok. Get back to me.

Spammer (again): (this guy doesn't get it...)

I dont have time for sh** <insert my first and middle name here> . Do you think i am kidding or i look like your teacher back then in <my High School name here>.????

STOP KIDDING AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE CO OPERATING OR NOT???

DEAL/ NO DEAL???

My Reply:

Okay so you looked at my facebook page. And?

Like I stated in my first message to you. You don't have any information about me. I had no computer 4 months ago. Which means if you downloaded a virus, it was to someone else computer and nothing for me to worry about. You have my email and an old password, and some invalid contacts. Have fun with that. And if you were really serious, and not just trying to play people because you like to take what isn't yours from people that are unsuspecting, then you would have pulled the plug already and "got me down" instead of "wasting your time". So like I said... Have fun.

[Farelf]

Very droll. These people are (usually) very lazy, could be just a copycat but certainly sounds like the same type. If it's the same person you would have to worry how come they've avoided being caught either by the authorities or by some vengeful victim. Always remember you're dealing with a criminal. Probably not a very successful or tough criminal (those would presumably prefer more direct methods) but ... don't take any chances. Email scammers can be desperate enough to forgo their normal cowardice. Not everyone (or their friends) is careful enough with Facebook and other social networking data.

Love your spirit but would hate to in any way encourage you (or others reading) to unwarily go that one step too far.

[turetzsr]

<snip>

If it's the same person you would have to worry how come they've avoided being caught either by the authorities or by some vengeful victim. Always remember you're dealing with a criminal. Probably not a very successful or tough criminal (those would presumably prefer more direct methods) but ... don't take any chances. Email scammers can be desperate enough to forgo their normal cowardice.

<snip>

...What? This obviously lame, sad, obviously desperate individual? I can't imagine a safer "victim" at whom to poke a stick. Good stuff, dizzi (except for the fact that you've spent far more time on that joker than was warranted)! <g>

[Devilwolf]

I would act like a mark/victim and get them to share as much about how they would like to be paid, then report it.

If they are using paypal, Paypal can "clawback" payments and withdrawals.

Once you get some real payment point info you can file a criminal extortion complaint.