Phishing Alert: Subjects vary — Likely will be an old password.

Some U-M community members reported receiving this email. It is fraudulent or malicious. Do not respond, click any link in it, or provide personal information or money. See Phishing & Scams for more tips. If you need help, contact the ITS Service Center.

Date Sent: 
Thursday, April 23, 2020

Phishing Message or Scam Summary

This scam email claims that the recipient's online web browsing has been monitored, personal behaviors recorded by webcam, and password compromised. The message attempts to extort payment in Bitcoin or other crypto-currency. These scam messages often include just enough detail to seem like the scammer has real information about the recipient. The extortion threat is not credible, and you should not respond or make the requested payment. Delete any such messages you receive.

Note: The password in the subject line of the scam messages is typically one used outside the university that was exposed in a large data breach. Exposed passwords are widely available to attackers on the Dark Web.. If the password is one you recognize and still use, change it immediately. Do not reuse passwords, use a unique password for each account, and never use your U-M password for other accounts.

Two examples of email received at U-M are shown below. Subjects of these email scams may vary and will often be a password the recipient has used in the past.

Personal details and details for sending payment have been removed.

Email Text Example 1

I know, LinkedIn!, is your password.

I need your full attention for the coming Twenty-four hrs, or I will certainly make sure you that you live out of embarrassment for the rest of your lifetime.

Hello there, you  don't know me personally. But I know nearly anything regarding you. Your current facebook contact list, smartphone contacts plus all the online activity on your computer from past 197 days.

Which includes, your self pleasure video, which brings me to the primary reason why I am composing this particular email to you.

Well the last time you went to the sexually graphic websites, my spyware ended up being activated inside your personal computer which ended up saving a lovely footage of your masturbation act by triggering your web camera.
(you got a tremendously unusual taste by the way haha)

I have the entire recording. If you think I am playng around, just reply proof and I will be forwarding the particular recording randomly to 11 people you're friends with.

It may end up being your friends, co workers, boss, mother and father (I don't know! My software program will randomly choose the contact details).

Will you be capable to look into anyone's eyes again after it? I doubt it...

But, it doesn't need to be that way.

I'm going to make you a 1 time, non negotiable offer.

Purchase $ 2000 in bitcoin and send it on the below address:

[Account address removed for security. This value will look like a long string of letters, numbers, and other characters.]
[CASE-SENSITIVE copy & paste it, and remote * from it]

(If you do not know how, lookup how to buy bitcoin. Do not waste my precious time)

If you send this particular 'donation' (let us call it that?). Right after that, I will disappear and never ever contact you again. I will erase everything I have about you. You may carry on living your current ordinary day to day life with no concerns.

You've got 24 hours to do so. Your time starts as quickly you check out this mail. I have got an special code that wwill tell me as soon as you see this mail therefore don't try to act smart.

Email Text Example 2

I'mnotgoingtodisregardyourunacceptablebehavior.

Myeyesarealreadylockedonyou.

Quitsittingatyourhomeallthetimeandfuckingaround, yourplaytimeendsnow, fuckface.

Ifyoufeeldismisstheactualemailandproceedonwithyoureverydaylife, youareunquestionablyfuckingfalse, friend. I'mpublishingthevideorecordingsstraightawayon2adultpornsites. Iamsureeveryonewouldhavefunwithyourvideos.

Youhavemademeangry, andthiswasanactionIneededtocarry. Ifyoudonotsendthemoney (withoutadoubt, pricehasescalatednow!) tothebeneatbitcoingaddress, Iwille-mailyourvideotoyourpersonalfriends, family, everylastsinglefuckingmanorwomanyourecognize.

BTCAddress:
[The address for sending bitcoin has been removed. These addresses will look like a series of letter and other characters.]
Copyandpasteitandremove ** fromit
Amount: 0..5BTC

Ticktick. TimeisdefinitelyTICKING. Witheverysinglepassingsecond, youwillbealittletadclosertoembrassementandshameforlifetime.
Ibelieveyouwillmakeunquestionablytheappropriatedecisionandtransfermemypayment.
Otherwiseyoumaystartgettingyourselfreadytobeabletobemiserablefromtheconsequences.

YOUHAVE18HOURSAND46MINUTES

P.S.
Ifyoutellothersaboutthisemail...
Ifyoupublishitonline...
Ifyoudonotsucceedtosendthesettlement (foranyfuckingreason)

IwillcertainlyNotallowit!