Extortion practices are being used by scammers more frequently, so it is important to understand how to recognize it, prevent it from causing you harm, and what you need to do next.

 

What is Extortion?

Extortion is the use of intimidation to force you to pay money or hand over something else of value. An extortion email is an approach designed to extort money and invoke intense fear. The scammers will claim that they have sensitive information or content, and threaten to send it to all your contacts unless you meet their demands. Most of the time, people fall for this scam because they have no way of investigating whether the threat is credible. These scams cause you to think irrationally, leading you to make rash decisions fueled by shame and anger.

 

 

What are common traits of an extortion scam?
  • They may contain your name and your workplace or school
  • These emails may contain information about you that is accessible on the internet
  • Make threats that they cannot follow through on
  • Mention sexual acts and 鈥渃laim鈥� they have video proof
  • Provide a technical explanation on how your data was obtained
  • Include instructions on how to purchase Bitcoin
  • Include a time limit (usually 24-48 hours) before they release information
  • Warns against seeking help or calling the authorities
What should I do after receiving an extortion email?
  • Do not panic. These individuals likely do not have any compromising video of you.
  • Do not respond to the email or interact with it.
  • NEVER click any links or open any attachments, as it most likely contains malware.
  • If the password included in the e-mail is a password that you recognize, change the password for any account or website where you use the same password. Remember, it鈥檚 always best to use unique passwords for each account or website to prevent the potential for an attacker to compromise multiple accounts with a single, reused password. Additionally, you can use a password manager to create and store multiple unique passwords.
  • Report it to the authorities, warn your family and friends, and if you鈥檙e comfortable, share your experience online. It helps to increase awareness about these types of scams, which are becoming more common in our day-to-day life.
Should I obey their request?
  • Never follow the demands of the criminal, regardless of whether the threat is true or not. It will not solve any problems, and you will be marked as an 鈥渆asy target鈥� for future scams.
  • If the scammer has incriminating details or contents against you, contact the authorities and get their advice.
How can I report a scammer?
  • Contact 红领巾瓜报 Policy Department at 316-978-3459, or if calling from a campus phone, dial 911.
  • In addition to reporting to WSU PD, you may also reach the Wichita-Sedgwick County Emergency Communications dispatcher by dialing 9-911 from a campus phone or 911 from a cell phone or outside line.
  • You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
The Bottom-Line
  • Generally, there is no need to worry when it comes to these extortion emails. These scams are successful because the victim is concerned about their personal reputation, regardless of the truth. The emails are deliberately threatening in order to provoke a fear fueled reaction.