Waitemata Police are warning the public after receiving a number of recent reports of an email extortion scam.
The scammers send an email to victims telling them their computer has been hacked and a video has been taken through their webcam showing that they¡¯ve looked at pornographic websites.
The scammers threaten to send the video to the victim¡¯s friends and family unless they are paid $1,900 in bitcoins.
The scammers also claim to know the victim¡¯s passwords, and in some cases list actual passwords that have been used by the victim in the past, which they¡¯ve obtained through previously leaked online data breaches.
Police are warning anyone who receives an email of this nature that this is a scam and you should immediately delete the email.
It is also a good idea to regularly change your passwords, but it is particularly important to do so if a password listed by a scammer in the email is one that you still use.
Detective Senior Sergeant Callum McNeill says Waitemata Police are currently investigating a number of recent reports of this scam.
¡°Unfortunately some of the victims have been so concerned that a video of themselves would be leaked that they have paid money to the scammers.
¡°We ask anyone who believes they are a victim of this scam and has transferred money to contact Police by phoning 105.¡±
ENDS
Nick Baker/°µÍø½ûÇø