A scam email has appeared claiming, 'Your partner is cheating on you. Click here to see the evidence.' It also investigates victims' personal information, such as their maiden name and pet's name.
Bleeping Computer, a news site about IT security, has warned that in recent years, scammers have been sending out false emails alleging that the recipient's spouse is cheating, inciting anxiety in the recipient and leading them to click on a link in the text that purports to be proof of the spouse's infidelity.
Sextortion scams now use your 'cheating' spouse's name as a lure
According to Bleeping Computer, attackers may be using techniques such as data leaks and social engineering to obtain personal information from dating sites and other online dating sites. The use of undisclosed personal information such as the recipient's or spouse's name, maiden name, or pet's name increases the credibility of the email. In addition, by bringing up the very sensitive topic of a spouse's infidelity, the email incites the recipient's fear and anxiety.
They then use a technique called email spoofing to alter email header information to make it appear as though the email came from a trusted source. The body of the email contains a phishing link that takes the recipient to a dangerous website, and they create a sense of urgency by claiming to have 'proof' to encourage the recipient to click the link.
Below is an actual scam email that was sent, with the recipient and their fiance's name included in the body of the email, and the text offering evidence and links to further details that their fiance is cheating on them.
A similar scam email was also posted on the online message board site
Of course, if you are interested and click on the link in the email, there is a very high possibility that your login information will be stolen or malware will be installed. In addition, it seems that botnets and automation tools are sometimes used to efficiently send large amounts of email.
According to Bleeping Computer, this type of method has been around since 2018, and the damage amount has reached $ 50,000 (about 7 million yen) in one week. Other similar methods include those pretending to be a hitman contract, making a bomb threat, pretending to be a CIA investigation, and threatening to install ransomware.
Bleeping Computer recommends the following steps if you receive such a threatening email:
Recognize that the email is a scam
Do not click on links or respond to requests
Simply delete the email
・Strive to protect personal information
Stay vigilant online
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in Security, Posted by log1i_yk