Avoid getting scammed by emails claiming to have all of your private data
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is "Im in possession of all of your private data Email Scam"?
"Im in possession of all of your private data Email Scam" refers to a spam campaign. These emails use the sextortion scam model, and there are three known variations of the deceptive messages they use. In essence, all variants claim to have obtained a sexually explicit video of the recipient and threaten to leak it - unless a ransom is paid.
It must be emphasized that all of the claims made by these emails - are false. Therefore, the letters pose no threat to the recipients.
"Im in possession of all of your private data Email Scam" in detail
The three versions of the "Im in possession of all of your private data" scam emails vary little. The common through-line includes: excuses for poor grammar, claims of a system infection having originated from an adult-themed site, use of the hijacked webcam to record a compromising video of the recipient, and the ransom demands.
Depending on the variant, recipients are given from 21 to 26 hours to pay a ransom worth 660/680 EUR or 800 USD in Bitcoin cryptocurrency. Additionally, the letters state that the recipients' contact data has been exfiltrated. Should victims refuse to meet the ransom demands - the nonexistent recordings will be sent to their contacts.
As mentioned in the introduction, these emails are scams, and no videos of the recipient exist in the scammers' possession. Hence, the "Im in possession of all of your private data" letters must be simply ignored.
| Name | Im in possession of all of your private data Email Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Scam emails threaten to leak a compromising video featuring the recipient - unless a ransom is paid. |
| Ransom Amounts | 660 EUR, 680 EUR, or 800 USD in Bitcoin cryptocurrency (depending on the email variant) |
| Cyber Criminal Cryptowallet Addresses (Bitcoin) |
bc1qk06ykg8v97r6pylak0vae9azvnzrkgm9mt97z5; bc1qjw86ve0ll9x4xyzsl74qpfresxuyfnw50x8v57; or bc1qtlpdvfhsv4lr8a90em222ewvr32670wl9eu3qp (depending on the email variant) |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Spam campaigns in general
"This is the last reminder", "I am sorry to inform you but your device was hacked", "Unfortunately, there are some bad news for you" are a few examples of sextortion spam campaigns.
Scam emails use various models and false claims to gain and abuse victims' trust. These campaigns are also used for phishing and even malware (e.g., trojan, ransomware, etc.) proliferation. Spam mail is widespread; therefore, it is crucial to exercise caution with incoming emails and messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Systems are infected via virulent files spread through spam campaigns. These files can be attached to and/or linked inside the emails. Infectious files can be archives, executables, PDF and Microsoft Office documents, JavaScript, etc. Upon being opened - malware download/installation is initiated.
For example, Microsoft Office documents cause infections by executing malicious macro commands. This process begins when a document is opened in Microsoft Office versions released prior to 2010.
Newer versions have "Protected View" mode that prevents automatic execution of macros. Instead, users can manually enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content). It is noteworthy that virulent documents often contain deceptive messages intended to trick users into doing so.
How to avoid installation of malware?
To avoid infecting the system via spam mail, it is advised against opening dubious/irrelevant emails - especially their attachments and links, which are potential infection origins. It is also recommended to use Microsoft Office versions released after 2010.
Aside from spam emails, malware is spread via untrustworthy download channels (e.g., unofficial and freeware sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.), illegal activation tools ("cracks"), and fake updates. Therefore, it is important to only download from official/verified sources and activate/update programs with tools provided by genuine developers.
It is paramount to have a dependable anti-virus installed and kept updated. This software has to be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in one of the "Im in possession of all of your private data" scam email variants:
Subject: If you want us to be silent, read
Hi,
Hope u will not really mind my english language sentence structure, since
im from Philippines. I infected your device with a virus and im in
possession of all of your private data from your os.
It was set up on an adult webpage and after that you have selected the
video clip, clicked on it, my application instantly gain access to your
system.
Next, your webcam documented you hand fucking, in addition i captured a
video that you've looked at.
Immediately after a short while in addition, it pulled out all of your
social contact info. If you ever wish me to remove your all that i currently
have - transfer me 660 eu in btc it is a crypto. This is my btc wallet
number - bc1qk06ykg8v97r6pylak0vae9azvnzrkgm9mt97z5
At this moment you will have 21 hours. to make a decision When i will
receive the transaction i will wipe out this video and every thing
completely. If not, you should be sure that the footage is going to be
submitted to your contacts.
Do Not Reply to This Email
Screenshot of another version of the "Im in possession of all of your private data" scam email:
Text presented in this variant:
Subject: Please dont make an even more fool of yourself
Hello there,
Wish u do not care about my english grammar, considering that i am from
Indonesia. I infected your gadget with a virus and im in possession of all
of your private data out of your os.
It previously was established on a mature page and then you have picked the
movie, viewed it, my software instantly gain access to your os.
After that, your camera started to record you flying solo, in addition i
captured a vid that you have viewed.
Immediately after a while additionally, it picked up all your device
contact information. If you wish me to wipe off your everything i have got -
send me 800 dollars in btc it's a cryptocurrency. Its my btc account address
: bc1qjw86ve0ll9x4xyzsl74qpfresxuyfnw50x8v57
At this point you have 26 hr s. to make up your mind The moment i will
receive the transfer i'm going eliminate this movie and every thing
completely. Or else, you should remember that your video would be submitted
to all of your contacts.
Do Not Reply to This Email
Screenshot of yet another version of the "Im in possession of all of your private data" scam email:
Text presented in this variant:
Subject: Read before your buddies will see the other side of you
Hello there,
Expect you will not mind my language grammar, considering that im from
Indonesia. I toxified your gadget with a trojan and now have all of your
personal files out of your operating-system.
It previously was installed on an adult page then you have picked the
online video and it, my software quickly got into your computer.
After that, your webcam started to record you hand partying, in addition i
captured a vid that you have looked at.
Immediately after a little while in addition, it pulled out every one of
your social contact info. If you ever would like me to wipe off your
everything i currently have - transfer me 680 euros in bitcoin it is a
cryptocurrency. It is my btc wallet transfer address -
bc1qtlpdvfhsv4lr8a90em222ewvr32670wl9eu3qp
At this moment you will have 22 hrs. to produce a decision When i will
receive the transaction i'm going wipe out this evidence and every little
thing completely. If not, you should be certain that your evidence will be
submitted to your buddies.
Do Not Reply to This Email
Another example of "Im in possession of all of your private data" scam email:
Text presented within:
Subject: I got lots of interesting things from your computer
Hello,
Wish u do not mind my language grammar, because i'm from Philippines. I
contaminated your gadget with a malware and im in possession of your private
info out of your operating system.It was installed on an adult web site then you have picked the online video
and it, my software immediately gain access to your system.Afterward, your webcamera started to record you wank, also i caught a movie
that you have looked at.After a short while furthermore, it pulled out every one of your social
contact info. In case u need me to erase your all that i have - transmit me
600 dollars in bitcoin it is a cryptocurrency. Its my btc account transfer
address - bc1qjw86ve0ll9x4xyzsl74qpfresxuyfnw50x8v57Now you have 25hours. to decide As soon as i will receive the transfer i'll
get rid of this footage and every little thing completely. Otherwise, you
should be sure that the video will be sent to all your buddies.Do Not Reply to This Email
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Quick menu:
- What is Im In Possession Of All Of Your Private Data spam?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Spam emails are not personal. These letters are distributed by thousands in large-scale operations.
Was my computer actually hacked and does the sender have any information?
No, the "Im in possession of all of your private data" email is a scam. Therefore, neither has your device been infected, nor do the scammers have the recordings they claim to.
How did cyber criminals get my email password?
Access to your email account might have been gained after a data breach. Alternatively, you may have fallen victim to a phishing scam at some point. For example, you may have provided your log-in credentials (passwords) to deceptive or fake sign-in/registration websites.
I have sent cryptocurrency to the address presented in this email, can I get my money back?
No, cryptocurrency transactions are practically irreversible. Hence, you will be unable to retrieve the funds you have transferred.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by a spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided account credentials - immediately change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts. And if the disclosed information was of a different personal nature (e.g., ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) - contact the corresponding authorities without delay.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Reading a spam email will not trigger any infection processes. Malware download/installation is initiated by opening the attachments or clicking links present in such emails.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
Whether your system has been infected - depends on the format of the opened file. If it was an executable - then, most likely, yes. However, you may have avoided jumpstarting any infection chains - if it was a document (e.g., .doc, .pdf, etc.). These formats can require additional actions (e.g., macro command enablement, etc.) to start infection processes.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan devices, as well as detect and eliminate most known malware infections. Additionally, running a full system scan is crucial - as sophisticated malicious programs typically hide deep within the system.
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