Don’t Panic: The “Hello Perv” Blackmail Emails are Fake

You may have received an alarming “Hello Perv” email claiming to have compromising footage or information about you, and demanding payment in bitcoin to keep it private. Emails like these, threatening to expose supposed porn viewing habits or other embarrassing information unless funds are paid, are an increasingly common scam.

This article will provide an in-depth look at this “sextortion” or “Hello Perv” scam campaign, how the emails work to trick recipients, what you should do if you receive one, and how to protect yourself online to avoid falling victim in the future. We’ll examine real examples of these fraudulent emails, explain why their claims are false, and give recommendations for responding and safeguarding your reputation.

Overview of the “Hello Perv” Scam

The “Hello Perv” or sextortion scam involves emails being sent en masse to recipients, claiming to have explicit videos or information about the recipient watching pornography, and threatening to release the supposed videos publicly or to the recipient’s contacts if payment is not made.

The emails are made to appear as if the sender has legitimate, compromising footage of the recipient through malware, hacking their device, or other made-up technological means. In reality, this is a bluff – the sender does not have any such footage or information. The emails are merely a fraudulent attempt to scare victims into paying up.

Here is how the “Hello Perv” emails will look:

Subject: Hi perv. I recorded you masturbating! I have captured ‘ .mp4’!

ATTN:

THIS IS NOT A JOKE – I AM DEAD SERIOUS!

Hi perv,

The last time you visited a p0rnographic website with teens,
you downloaded and installed software I developed.

My program has turned on your camera and recorded
the process of your masturbation.

My software has also downloaded all your email contact lists
and a list of your friends on Facebook.

I have both the ‘*********.mp4’ with your masturbation
as well as a file with all your contacts on my hard drive.

You are very perverted!

If you want me to delete both the files and keep the secret,
you must send me Bitcoin payment. I give you 72 hours for payment.

If you don’t know how to send Bitcoins, visit Google.

Send 2.000 USD to this Bitcoin address immediately:

3JkyLvpShtrCRFyxnooCD7dQ6n4oBmVtD7
(copy and paste)

1 BTC = 3,580 USD right now, so send exactly 0.567380 BTC
to the address provided above.

Do not try to cheat me!
As soon as you open this Email I will know you opened it.

This Bitcoin address is linked to you only,
so I will know if you sent the correct amount.
When you pay in full, I will remove the files and deactivate my program.

If you don’t send the payment, I will send your masturbation video
to ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES from your contact list I hacked.

Here are the payment details again:

Send 0.567380 BTC to this Bitcoin address:

—————————————-
3JkyLvpShtrCRFyxnooCD7dQ6n4oBmVtD7, 32r5aJ5KAN7Q1mEd1a9xUhtHh5JfpYkrKX
—————————————-

You саn visit police but nobody will help you. I know what I am doing.
I don’t live in your country and I know how to stay anonymous.

Don’t try to deceive me – I will know it immediately – my spy ware is
recording all the websites you visit and all keys you press.
If you do – I will send this ugly recording to everyone you know,
including your family.

Don’t cheat me! Don’t forget the shame and if you ignore this message your
life will be ruined.

I am waiting for your Bitcoin payment.

If you need more time to buy and send 0.567380 BTC,
open your notepad and write ’48h plz’.
I will consider giving you another 48 hours before I release the vid.

Anonymous Hacker

Some common claims made in the scam emails include:

• Having video of the recipient masturbating to porn obtained through malware or activating their webcam
• Access to the recipient’s contacts to send the video to if payment isn’t made
• Ability to monitor the recipient’s activities through spyware or other remote access
• Possession of child pornography that will be edited to include the recipient
• Threats to send edited videos to friends/family if payment isn’t received in time

The sender demands payment, usually via untraceable bitcoin, to keep the footage private. Amounts demanded are often $500-$2000 or more. The emails imply grave consequences – reputation destruction, public humiliation, loss of relationships, or even legal trouble – if the demands aren’t met.

Don’t Panic – It’s a Fake Threat

Rest assured – the extortionists do not actually possess any videos or compromising information about you. These emails are sent out en masse, hoping recipients will believe the threats and pay up.

The claims made in the emails about having personal footage or contacts are complete fabrications. Any threats to release footage or send emails to contacts are empty scare tactics. You have not been hacked and your information is secure.

The senders are cybercriminals running a mass extortion racket for quick money, not sophisticated hackers who have compromised your devices. Their only power is the ability to spark fear through false claims. No real evidence exists.

How the “Hello Perv” Scam Works

To understand why you should not put any stock in the alarming claims made in sextortion emails, it’s important to examine how these scams operate.

1. Emotional Manipulation

The emails are carefully crafted to provoke strong reactions of fear, shame, or panic. Threats of releasing fabricated explicit videos to all your contacts provokes anxiety over reputation and relationships.

References to porn site visits aim to shame recipients over legal but private activities. Claims of having contacts or remote access to devices creates paranoia.

This is all intentional – scammers want to override your logic and exploit emotional responses to trick you. Remaining calm and analyzing the situation rationally reveals the scam for what it is.

2. Mass Targeting

Another sign this is a fraud: the scammers blast out these emails en masse to millions of addresses at once, rather than singling out specific individuals.

Some emails may include a supposed “password” to add legitimacy. In reality, these passwords are obtained from massive data breaches – not hacking your personal devices. Any personal details are lucky guesses or information purchased online.

With mass targeting, scammers don’t need to know anything about you specifically to threaten exposing your supposed porn habits. They just aim for quantity over quality, hoping some fraction of recipients will fall for the scam.

3. Untraceable Payments

Payment is demanded through cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. This allows scammers to remain anonymous while profiting.

Even if a victim pays, there is no incentive for the scammers to actually delete anything – which doesn’t exist anyhow. There is no way to get your money back from an untraceable wallet.

“Hello Perv” Email Scam Breakdown

To fully understand why you should not give into demands for payment, let’s walk through exactly how a typical “sextortion” scam unfolds:

1. Scammers Purchase or Compile Email Lists

Scammers first obtain large lists of email addresses through both legitimate and illegal means. These include:

• Dark web sites where hacked data gets sold
• Collecting emails from leaked databases online
• Email lists from past scams or malware
• Email extraction software targeting sites, forums, etc.

To maximize success rates, scammers may focus on emails associated with compromised passwords. Or they may target genres like “adult” sites that create embarrassment if exposed.

2. Threatening Content is Drafted

Next, the scammers craft the content of their scam email. This includes:

• Frightening subject lines like “You are my victim” or “I know what you did”
• Story about having video footage or contacts through hacking
• specifics like Bitcoin payment amount and wallet address
• Deadline of 24-48 hours before releasing footage or contacts
• Warnings not to contact authorities or delete footage

The emails don’t require any personalization since they just leverage fear rather than real evidence. The same template can be reused across all recipients.

Here is how an email might look:

Subject: You are my victim.

Hello, Perv.
You’ve been looking at porn sites recently .
One at them had my virus on it .
When u started its video, your computer downloaded and launched my malicious software.
After that, I started your camera and recorded a video at u masturbating .
I’ve gathered all its contacts from your computer.
After that, I put together a video at your Masturbation and added videos with child porn.
In my version at its video, u masturbate to sex with kids.

I’m giving u its opportunity to save your life!
Below I will provide u with its address at My bitcoin wallet.

Send me 500 EURO in BTC.

BTC wlt – 1Pdf1QMXH7e9957vhMskAFKQNi79eoa9Rm, 1JVMTup4zuS1JMGXAYYRgvyr2PUmNnY6g2
(If you don’t know what bitcoin / write to buy bitcoin in Google)

You have 24 hours after reading its letter.
As soon as my wallet receives its payment , its system will automatically destroy all its dirt that I made.
If u need more time , open its notebook and write ” Plz 48″
In that case , u’ll have 48 hours to send me its money.
If after a time, I do not see its money in my wallet .
I’ll send my dirt to all your colleagues and friends right away.
I can see everything u’re doing on your computer , so don’t try to trick me.
If I understand that u’re just stalling, I will immediately send dirt on your contacts!
Hurry u have little time, save your life!

3. Scam Emails Are Blasted Out

With email list and templates ready, the scammers send out huge volumes of the threatening sextortion emails rapidly using automated tools.

Millions of scam emails can be dispatched per day. Low costs and effort allow running this scam campaign at massive scale.

4. Recipients Panic and Pay

By preying on fear and uncertainty, a small fraction of recipients will fall for the scam and pay the bitcoin ransom right away. Even response rates under 1% generate huge profits at large email volumes.

Victims give in under the mistaken belief it’s easier or safer to pay a “small” amount rather than risk the threatened consequences. In reality, there would be no consequences from the empty threats.

5. Crypto is Laundered, Scammers Vanish

Once payments are received in the bitcoin wallets, scammers mix and launder cryptocurrency through tumblers and exchanges to cover their tracks.

With identities hidden, scammers cash out into fiat currency and disappear with the profits. Victims have no recourse to recover lost funds or hold scammers accountable.

This cycle repeats endlessly as scammers continue blasting out emails to new sets of recipients. As long as people pay, the scam continues growing more sophisticated.

What To Do If You Receive A “Sextortion” Email

If you’ve received a scary extortion email demanding bitcoin to avoid supposed embarrassment or reputation harm, here are the key steps to take:

1. Stay Calm and Don’t Act Rashly

First and foremost, take some deep breaths and approach things calmly. Scammers want you upset and panicked to override good judgment.

Collect yourself and don’t let fear or anxiety push you into anything hasty. Slow down and consider the situation objectively before deciding how to respond.

2. Look Critically at Claims Made

Carefully analyze the email contents rather than accepting claims at face value. Ask questions like:

• Do they offer any concrete evidence like screenshots or video samples?
• Are details vague or general enough to apply to anyone?
• Would what they claim require extensive hacking skills?

Almost always, you’ll notice red flags like lack of specificity, threats but no real proof, improbable technology claims. This reveals the scam.

3. Do Not Pay Any Ransom

Regardless of how frightening an email seems, never pay the ransom or respond to demands. This only encourages and funds scammers to continue victimizing others.

Rest assured, if you ignore the email threats entirely, the supposed consequences will never materialize. The scammers have nothing on you and cannot follow through.

4. Increase Security Precautions

While you haven’t been hacked in this case, it’s smart to take some cybersecurity steps like changing passwords and being cautious of links/attachments going forward.

Use unique passwords on all accounts, enable two-factor authentication where possible, maintain updated antivirus software, and avoid clicking unknown links.

Practicing general online safety helps protect you in the unlikely event a real data breach occurs. Don’t enable remote access like RDP on any systems directly exposed online.

5. Report the Emails to Service Providers

Forward scam emails to your email provider’s abuse team (e.g. Gmail has reportphishing@google.com). Reporting helps get scam domains blacklisted to block future victims.

6. Warn Contacts If Needed

If the scam email was sent to an address also used professionally or known to contacts, it doesn’t hurt to give them a heads up that an extortion scam is going around.

Let contacts know to ignore any concerning emails they may receive, as scammers are known to CC others or send follow-ups. Stopping awareness prevents their success.

7. Don’t Communicate With the Scammers

Aside from reporting, it’s best to avoid any engagement with the scammers. Replying could confirm your email’s activity and get you targeted again. Attempts to negotiate will go nowhere.

The scammers have no real leverage over you – all they want is a quick payoff. Your silence sends a clear message the scam has failed.

Long-Term Precautions Against Future Scams

While being targeted by sextortion scammers has no relationship with your own online activities, there are still smart precautions to take going forward for general privacy and protection:

1.Use Unique Passwords

Never reuse the same password between accounts. If one service suffers a breach, this prevents scammers from accessing more accounts.

Use a password manager to generate and store strong, random unique passwords for all sites and services.

2.Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Add an extra security layer like requiring a code from an authenticator app or SMS message when logging in from a new device. This prevents unauthorized logins even if your password is compromised.

3. Be Wary of Links/Attachments

Practice caution when receiving unexpected emails with links or attachments, especially from unfamiliar senders. Hover over links to inspect destinations before clicking.

4. Run Comprehensive Antivirus Software

Maintain real-time malware/virus protection from reputable software like BitDefender, Malwarebytes, etc. Schedule periodic scans to detect any threats that slip through.

5. Don’t Allow RDP Access to Systems

Disable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access for any systems directly reachable online. Keep RDP confined only to your internal home network to prevent intrusions.

6. Back Up Your Data

Implement regular backups of important data to external drives or cloud storage in case any devices do get compromised in the future. Backups let you easily restore.

Is Your Device Infected? Run a Free Malware Scan

Slow performance, constant pop-ups, or strange behavior? These are classic signs of a malware infection. A quick way to check is to scan your device with Malwarebytes Free, one of the most trusted malware removal tools available. If you only visited a scam page and didn’t download or install anything, this scan is optional.

The free version detects and removes the most common threats, including:

• Adware — the cause of those annoying pop-ups
• Browser hijackers — unwanted redirects and changed homepages
• Trojans and spyware — hidden programs stealing your data
• Potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) — software you never asked for

👉 Select your device below — Windows, Mac, or Android — then follow the simple steps to download Malwarebytes, scan your system, and remove any threats it finds. The scan usually takes 5 to 20 minutes.

Stay Protected: Block Ads and Malicious Sites

No scan can prove a device is completely clean, so it helps to block threats before they reach you. Most infections start with a malicious ad or a fake download button — so blocking them at the source is your best defense.

We recommend AdGuard, which blocks malicious ads, phishing pages, and dangerous redirects before they can reach you.

👉 Download AdGuard and browse safely

Frequently Asked Questions About the “Hello Perv” Sextortion Scam Emails

Receiving a threatening “Hello Perv” sextortion email can be scary. But don’t let fear or uncertainty manipulate you. These scam emails use false claims about having explicit videos or contacts to trick you into paying bitcoin.

To understand why these alarming emails are fake extortion attempts, and help protect yourself online, here are answers to frequently asked questions:

What is the “Hello Perv” sextortion scam email?

The “Hello Perv” scam involves cybercriminals sending emails threatening to expose supposed porn viewing habits or release edited explicit videos unless payment is sent. These sextortion emails pretend to have compromising footage/info obtained through hacking, spyware or other made-up means. In reality, it’s a fraud – they don’t have anything.

How do I recognize a sextortion scam email?

These emails often have subject lines like “You are my victim” or “I know what you did”. They claim to have videos of you watching porn or masturbating by hacking your webcam. Threats are made to send footage to your contacts unless you pay a ransom in bitcoin. No proof is offered though, just intimidation.

What are some typical claims made in the scam emails?

Some common fake claims are having footage from your webcam, accessing your contacts to email the video, editing you into child pornography, using malware/spyware for surveillance, demanding bitcoin payment within 24-48 hours or else contacts will receive video.

Do the scammers actually have compromising videos/info about me?

No, the scammers do not actually have any videos, images, or contacts related to you. These are complete lies designed to scare you into paying. The emails are sent randomly to millions of addresses without any hacking or targeting. There is no real evidence, just empty threats.

How do the scammers obtain emails to send sextortion scams?

Scammers purchase emails in bulk on the dark web, harvest them from breached databases online, or extract them from websites. They target indiscriminately for maximum coverage, rather than gathering any intelligence on recipients. Any personal details dropped are just lucky guesses or public info.

Why do the scammers demand payment in Bitcoin?

Bitcoin allows scammers to receive ransom payments anonymously. Even if you pay, there’s no way to recover the funds or identify the scammer. Unlike bank transfers, cryptocurrency transactions are not reversible.

What should I do if I receive a sextortion email?

First, remain calm and don’t act rashly. Take time to examine the email critically – you’ll notice inconsistencies revealing it’s fake. Never pay any ransom no matter how threatening the email seems. Simply ignore the scammers completely and increase your general online security precautions.

Can I report the sextortion scam emails?

Yes, forward any scam emails to your email provider’s abuse team to hopefully get the sender blacklisted. You can also report to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (https://apwg.org/). Reporting helps protect others from receiving the scam.

How can I protect myself from sextortion scams in the future?

Use strong unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, maintain updated antivirus software, back up your data, and avoid clicking unknown links. Never reuse passwords between sites. Being wary of links/attachments from unfamiliar senders helps avoid malware.

Should I feel embarrassed or ashamed if I received one of these emails?

Absolutely not. Scammers send these randomly without any specific targets, not because of anything you did. Don’t let them intimidate you over legal private activities. Focus on the facts – the scammers have no actual evidence or power over you.

What should I do if the scammers email my contacts?

First off, try not to panic, as it’s unlikely the scammers would actually take the time to email your contacts with fake videos. If they did, immediately warn your contacts that an extortion scam is being spread and to disregard any concerning emails they may have received.

The Bottom Line

Receiving a threatening sextortion email can be a scary experience, but don’t let fear or uncertainty manipulate you. These scams rely entirely on intimidation tactics and false claims to trick you into paying up.

Rest assured you have not been hacked or compromised based on the email alone. The scammers have no evidence or video footage – just empty threats designed to sound alarming.

By remaining calm, avoiding any ransom payment, and continuing general online precautions, you can move on safely. Report any scam emails to providers and warn contacts to maintain awareness.

Lastly, don’t feel any shame about legal online habits – we all have a right to privacy. The scammers aim only to intimidate and exploit. By focusing on facts and not acting rashly, their scam will fail and you can prevent them from profiting off the next person.