“Hello pervert” sextortion scam: how not to react

If an email that appears to be sent from your own account warns that you’ve been recorded in a compromising act and will be exposed unless you pay up, don’t panic.

The “Hello pervert” scam – the email’s inspiring opening line – isn’t new: various versions of it have been doing the rounds for years and actually go back to the days when webcams were first released.

That was around 30 years ago. But the menacing email regularly comes back, and the alleged pervert hunters seem more active again in recent weeks.

Essentially, it’s sort of a ransom note as the recipient of the email is usually warned that someone has watched them through their computer’s camera and recorded them consuming pornographic content and/or masturbating.

The sender then demands that the recipient pay up or the video will be shared with their family and friends. It can indeed frighten people, especially since the email appears to have been sent from their own accounts.

But it’s a hoax – a phishing attack. No one actually had gained access to your devices and made videos using your camera. They just want your money and for you to pay it into a cryptocurrency wallet.

Yes, the emails come with your own name in the “from” section of the message – but that is because email software allows users to put fake information into that field.

Other messages might include more personal information, such as a username or even a password. But those are taken from publicly available data from large breaches of personal data – which can then be scooped up by cyber criminals and used for further scams.

Furthermore, the scam seems convincing because the crooks are constantly updating the content of the email to include recent events. Most recently, the email references the Pegasus spyware, for example.

“Have you heard of Pegasus? This is a spyware program that installs on computers and smartphones and allows hackers to monitor the activity of device owners. It provides access to your webcam, messengers, emails, call records, etc. It works well on Android, iOS, macOS and Windows. I guess you already figured out where I’m getting at,” one email reads.

Pegasus is indeed very powerful software, but it needs to be targeted towards specific users and is used for attacking politicians, journalists, and other powerful figures rather than for extortion scams.

Still, Pegasus was discovered on the phones of everyday users last year. But the “hello pervert” email is definitely a scam designed to play on people’s emotions, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre and Microsoft representatives say.

So, what should you do if you receive an email like this? According to cyber pros, you should not respond to it or open any attachments – that would mean you’re taking the bait.

Even if you’re not planning to pay any ransom, your reply would confirm to the scammers that the email address they have used is active – and can be used in future phishing attempts.