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The newly emerging scam is typically initiated when a scammer sends an anonymous email claiming that they have uncovered evidence showing that the recipient committed adultery or watched pornographic materials.
The “blackmail scam” proceeds when the scammer threatens to reveal the evidence to the recipient’s spouse, family and friends and demands payment in exchange for keeping quiet.
In an extra effort to stay anonymous, the scammer typically demands payment through bitcoin virtual currency.
Though blackmail scams as a whole are nothing new, the FBI warns that scammers will continue to find devious ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims.
The FBI urges anyone who has been a victim of a blackmail scam to contact their financial institutions and file a report with law enforcement.
Victims should also submit the information to the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center, which helps law enforcement agencies understand and track the most current scams and inform the public.
For more information about blackmail scams, click here.
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