The “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” email is a scam that tries to trick you into thinking that your computer or phone is infected with malware and then threatens to make your data public. Contrary to the claims in the email, you haven’t been hacked (or at least, that’s not what prompted this email) and this is nothing more than a scam that tries to trick you into sending Bitcoins to these scammers. This is merely a new variation on an old scam which is popularly called “sextortion”.
This is the text of the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” blackmail email, including the grammatical and spelling errors:
FINAL WARNING
Do you really think it was some kind of joke or that you can ignore me?
I can see what you are doing.
Stop shopping and f*cking around, your time is almost over. Yea, I know what you were doing past couple of days. I have been observing you.
Btw. nice car you have got there.. I wonder how it will look with pics of your d*ck and face…
Because you think you are smarter and can disregard me, I am posting the videos I recorded with you masturbating to the porn right now. I will upload the videos I acquired along with some of your details to the online forum. I amsure they will love to see you in action, and you will soon discover what is going to happen to you.
If you do not fund this bitcoin address with $1500 within next 2 days, I will contact your relatives and everybody on your contact lists and show them your recordings.
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Send 0.2 bitcoin (i.e approx $1500)
to this Bitcoin address:
Scan the QR code with mobile to get the address.
=======
You can buy bitcoin from many places like Bitstamp, Coinbase, Krakenetc, etc.
If you want to save yourself – better act fast, because right now you are f*cked. We will not leave you alone, and there are many people on the groups that will make your life feel really bad.
The above email and anything it states is just a scam to try and scare you into paying the ransom. If you have received the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” email, we recommend deleting it and under no circumstances sending any money to these cybercriminals.
Is the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” email real?
No, and don’t panic. The “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” email is a scam that tries to trick you into thinking that your device or email has been hacked, then demands payment, or else they will send compromising information -such as images of you captured through your web camera or your pornographic browsing history – to all your friends and family. And in classic ransomware fashion, there’s typically a ticking clock. Giving users a short time limit to deliver the payment is social engineering at its finest.
Threats, intimidation, and high-pressure tactics are classic signs of a scam.
As you can imagine, the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” extortion email and anything it states is just a scam to try and scare you into paying the ransom.
They have my password! How did they get my password?
To make the threats more credible, the scammers may include one of your passwords in this email. The scammers have your password from sites that were hacked, and in this case, likely matched up to a database of emails and stolen passwords and sent this scam out to potentially millions of people. You can check if your email or password was compromised in a data breach on Haveibeenpwned.
If the password emailed to you is one that you still use, in any context whatsoever, stop using it and change it NOW. It’s also recommended that you enable two-factor authentication for your email and online accounts whenever that is an option.
Should I pay the ransom?
You should not pay the ransom. If you pay the ransom, you’re not only losing money but you’re encouraging the scammers to continue phishing other people.
Delete the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” email, and under no circumstances pay these cybercriminals a penny/dime/bitcoin.
What should I do now?
We recommend that you ignore the content of the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” email and delete it from your Inbox. However, if you have downloaded any attachments or clicked on any links from this email, or if you suspect that your computer might be infected with malware, you can follow the below guide to scan your device for malware and remove it for free.
Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubts at any point, stop and ask for our assistance.
Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Windows- Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Mac
- Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Android
Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Windows
Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Mac
Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from AndroidRemove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Windows
- STEP 1: Use Malwarebytes to remove adware, browser hijackers and other malware
- STEP 2: Use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies
- STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan your computer for other malicious programs
STEP 1: Use Malwarebytes to remove adware, browser hijackers and other malware
In this first step, we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.
Malwarebytes is one of the most popular and most used anti-malware software for Windows, and for good reasons. It is able to destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss, without costing you absolutely nothing. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
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Download Malwarebytes for Windows.
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
MALWAREBYTES FOR WINDOWS DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes) -
Double-click on the Malwarebytes setup file.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the MBSetup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow Malwarebytes to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the Malwarebytes installation.
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Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes setup wizard which will guide you through the installation process. The Malwarebytes installer will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program on, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
On the next screen, click “Install” to install Malwarebytes on your computer.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
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Click on “Scan”.
Malwarebytes is now installed on your computer, to start a scan click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs.
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Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijacker and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
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Click on “Quarantine”.
When the Malwarebytes scan is finished scanning it will show a screen that displays any malware, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that it has detected. To remove the adware and other malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
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Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files and registry keys that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes and continue with the rest of the instructions to perform a final scan that ensures that no other malicious programs are installed on your device.
STEP 2: Use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies
In this step, we will use AdwCleaner to remove Adware and malicious browser policies that might be set on your computer.
AdwCleaner is a free popular on-demand scanner that can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find. This on-demand scanner includes a lot of tools that can be used to fix the side effects of Adware.
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Download AdwCleaner.
You can download AdwCleaner by clicking the link below.
ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download AdwCleaner) -
Double-click on the setup file.
Double-click on the file named “adwcleaner” to start AdwCleaner. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
AdwCleaner program will now open and you will be presented with the program’s license agreement. After you read it, click on the I agree button if you wish to continue. If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.
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Enable “Reset Chrome policies” to remove malicious browser policies.
When AdwCleaner starts, on the left side of the window, click on “Settings” and then enable “Reset Chrome policies“.
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Click on the “Scan” button.
On the left side of the AdwCleaner window, click on “Dashboard” and then click “Scan” to perform a computer scan.
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Wait for the AdwCleaner scan to finish.
AdwCleaner will now scan your computer for Adware and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes.
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Click on “Quarantine” to remove malware.
When the AdwCleaner scan is completed it will display all of the items it has found. Click on the “Quarantine” button to remove Adware and other malicious programs from your computer.
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Click on “Continue” to start malware removal.
AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to close any open programs before it starts to clean. Click on the “Continue” button to finish the removal process.
AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. When the malware removal process is complete, you can close AdwCleaner and continue with the rest of the next steps from this guide.
STEP 3: Use HitmanPro to scan your computer for other malicious programs
In this third step, we will scan the computer with HitmanPro to ensure that no other malicious programs are installed on your device.
HitmanPro is a second opinion scanner that takes a unique cloud-based approach to malware scanning. HitmanPro scans the behavior of active files and also files in locations where malware normally resides for suspicious activity. If it finds a suspicious file that’s not already known, HitmanPro sends it to its clouds to be scanned by two of the best antivirus engines today, which are Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
Although HitmanPro is shareware and costs $24.95 for 1 year on 1 PC, there is no limit on scanning. The limitation only kicks in when there is a need to remove or quarantine detected malware by HitmanPro on your system and by then, you can activate the one-time 30-days trial to enable the clean up.
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Download HitmanPro.
You can download HitmanPro by clicking the link below.
HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro) -
Install HitmanPro.
When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on “hitmanpro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows) to install this program on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
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Follow the on-screen prompts.
When HitmanPro starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Click on the “Next” button to perform a system scan.
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Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete.
HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs.
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Click on “Next”.
When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that it has found. Click on the “Next” button to have HitmanPro remove the detected items.
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Click on “Activate free license”.
HitmanPro may now require to activate the free 30-days trial to remove the malicious files. To do this, click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
When the malware removal process is complete, it will display a screen that shows the status of the various programs that were removed. At this screen, you should click on the Next button and then if prompted you should click on the Reboot button. If HitmanPro does not prompt you to reboot, please just click on the Close button.
HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK
If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
- Run a computer scan with ESET Online Scanner
- Ask for help in our Windows Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Mac
STEP 1: Use Malwarebytes for Mac to find malicious programs
In this step, we will download, install and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Mac to remove adware and other malware from your computer.
Malwarebytes for Mac is an on-demand scanner that takes out malware, adware, spyware, and other threats before they can infect your machine and ruin your day.
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Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
You can download Malwarebytes for Mac by clicking the link below.
MALWAREBYTES FOR MAC DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes for Mac) -
Double-click on the Malwarebytes setup file.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
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Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes for Mac Installer which will guide you through the installation process. Click “Continue“, then keep following the prompts to continue with the installation process.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.
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Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
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Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
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Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
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Click on “Quarantine”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove adware and other malicious programs that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
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Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove adware and other malicious files that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
When the malware removal process is complete, you can close Malwarebytes and continue with the rest of the instructions.
Your computer should now be free of the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” browser hijacker. If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future.
If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Remove “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” malware from Android
STEP 1: Use Malwarebytes for Android to scan for malicious apps
In this step, we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove malicious apps from your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android searches all files and apps quickly and effectively for malware or potentially unwanted programs such as screen lockers or adware, freeing your phone from bloatware.
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Download Malwarebytes for Android.
You can download Malwarebytes for Android by clicking the link below.
MALWAREBYTES DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes for Android) -
Install Malwarebytes on your phone
In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
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Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options.
This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue.
Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step.
Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue.
Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
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Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
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Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
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Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the “Do you really think it was some kind of joke” adware and other malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
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Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your phone, please ask for help in our Mobile Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
