Advice Request "virtual ransom_email"

[simmerskool]

my email inbox had an email from a self-professed hacker supposedly originating from my email server, claiming he hacked my computer and was going to "expose" me in 50 hours if I didn't send him $1300. WTF, at least make an effort to write some code and try to actually infect my computer before you demand $$$. In any event, I had already sent my unrestricted funds to a Nigerian prince. Are these scammy emails prevalent? This was the first to tickle my inbox.

 

[Jack]

actually infect my computer before you demand $$$.

It's easier to take your email from a hacked database and send an email trying to scare you.

I've also got this type of spam email, and it's just a scam. For them, it's a numbers game, the more they send the higher chance they've got to foul someone to send money. Like other email spam, they send it in large numbers and wait for someone to reply or pay. You can find at bitcoinabuse reports about this type of scam and you will see that sadly there are people who actually send money to these scammers.

 

[piquiteco]

As @Jack said, you watch out, they will use every trick to convince you to respond to the email and pay them. Leaks have become commonplace these days unfortunately, for hackers it is not very difficult to get leaked data on the dark web.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

I had already sent my unrestricted funds to a Nigerian prince.

My dear, sweet brother Numsie! How is he going? I haven't heard from him in a while, hope he is well.

Are these scammy emails prevalent?

They are still around, much less volume than the early/mid/late 2000's.

not very difficult to get leaked data on the dark web

There is so many more details/data/leaks available on the open web, traded in various forums and in WhatsApp/Telegram chat groups, than on the dark web.

 

[piquiteco]

There is so many more details/data/leaks available on the open web, traded in various forums and in WhatsApp/Telegram chat groups, than on the dark web.

There is on the open web leaked data, but I disagree with you that you have more data leaked on forums, whatsapp,telegram, you forgot about the authorities and law enforcement? The dark web is a way to remain anonymous, it doesn't mean that it is impossible to trace it, but it is much more difficult for the police to locate its origin. On the open web in forums, whatsapp,telegram it is already easier for them to find you, even if you are behind a VPN.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

but I disagree with you that you have more data leaked on forums, whatsapp,telegram

For leaked data you have a point, dark web is very popular. But for selling data like initial access creds, databases, financial creds, and for general fraud there is still a much larger market share on Russian forums, ICQ, Jabber, and Telegram groups.

you forgot about the authorities and law enforcement?

There are probably more law enforcement members now on the dark web than cyber criminals/hackers/fraudsters. Then you have the security analysts/researchers, academics, and journalists and now it's more watched than normal web.

 

[simmerskool]

As @Jack said, you watch out, they will use every trick to convince you to respond to the email and pay them. Leaks have become commonplace these days unfortunately, for hackers it is not very difficult to get leaked data on the dark web.

the odd coincidence is that I did discover a "hiccup" with the email server that this scam email was delivered to?? I am in the process of discovering what email provider is seeing on their side of this. If I hear anything of real interest, I'll post what I found out, otherwise, all is well in my cyberspaceland.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

the odd coincidence is that I did discover a "hiccup" with the email server that this scam email was delivered to?? I am in the process of discovering what email provider is seeing on their side of this. If I hear anything of real interest, I'll post what I found out, otherwise, all is well in my cyberspaceland.

Email server it was sent from will most likely be a hacked server sold to the phisher with clean i.p address/ hacked exchange server / or hacked corporate mail server. They last a few hours until they are taken down and i.p addresses are blacklisted. Rinse and repeat every few hours and that's why spam never appears to stop.