How to spot scams like I Regret To Inform You About Some Sad News For You scam

What kinf of scam is "I Regret To Inform You About Some Sad News For You"?

After analyzing this email, we determined that it is a sextortion scam threatening to share (disclose) videos of recipients visiting adult websites and their personal information. This email aims to trick recipients into sending a specified amount of Bitcoins to the provided wallet. None of the claims in this email are true. Thus, it must be ignored.

More about the "I Regret To Inform You About Some Sad News For You" sextortion scam

This email claims that access to a computer has been gained, and Internet activities have been observed. It states that an email account has been hacked. It also claims that the operating system has been infected with a Trojan that accessed the webcam, microphone, social network accounts, messengers, contact lists, downloaded photos, web browsing history, and other data.

The purpose of this email is to trick recipients into believing that compromising videos have been recorded and will be disclosed if $1490 in Bitcoins are not paid to the provided BTC wallet. It urges recipients to pay a ransom within 48 hours from receiving it.

It is worth mentioning that this email appears to be sent from the recipient's address. Scammers behind it use a spoofing technique to trick unsuspecting recipients into believing that their email account has been hacked.

Threat Summary:

Name	I Regret To Inform You About Some Sad News For You Email Scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Access to a computer has been gained, and sensitive material has been obtained
Cyber Criminal Cryptowallet Address	bc1q5r8kdpshpx49yzgekyh6e7qpn02s6ufhmcgrtg, bc1q0qn46ytkmyhmpmjcw9jtecdgsfnwnxvwya5yv9, 1r8KDQsoFUWLdV1D2L1vc66YibNDrrYys, bc1quv2l07cec2pluq6qgpv95fu990mjlm7ljqksky, bc1q549rwxx67lhhhfn4y9073t4pyah539pw09cf9a, 16bHkVFULVmxTGVi2XKpwzkt5KrRnThzPg, 1DnDfzKAjTYWcn6nCVfkXLh5RRaGBUZ7nE, 1EhjD4hzLpwuHVu52ScHTJASqPdkC6SD4, 1P5vLEEuGawo33WLs3pVdxTuyjqt7Ymf9C, bc1qrvdjenydph4da62uylmr77yhxx6vsaaps04hcq, 1GS1SRz3QBC1NUeuhu8EWkx37qQXanUxGG, bc1qtc62hlaa8hvsslv8mddgtt83qvzl7cxpmuafcs, bc1qdpyew89rucmm4gmuwjxfz7dwhh86ff3qsghy9n
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. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Similar scams in general

As a rule, scammers behind sextortion scams coerce recipients to pay a ransom for not sharing the obtained material (videos, photos, personal files/data). They claim that they have accessed a webcam, a microphone, or gained access to a computer in some other way. Most scammers demand to be paid in cryptocurrency (they provide a crypto wallet address in their email addresses).

Examples of similar emails are "I Broke Into Your Computer System Using The Wireless Network Router Email Scam", "We Are Ukrainian Hackers And We Hacked Your Site Email Scam", and "Your System Has Been Hacked With A Trojan Virus Email Scam". It is important to know that email can be used as a channel for delivering malware.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

When emails are used to spread malware, they contain malicious attachments or links. In both cases, threat actors use them to trick recipients into downloading and executing malware. Usually, such emails are disguised as important/official/urgent letters from legitimate entities.

Most commonly used files to distribute malware are PDF, Microsoft and other documents, JavaScript files, executables, ISO files, and archive files containing malicious files.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Do not trust irrelevant emails sent from unknown, suspicious addresses (e.g., emails sent from your address). Do not open files or links presented in emails of this kind. Files/links in such emails can be malicious. Use official websites and stores to download applications and files. Do not trust other sources.

Keep the operating system and installed programs up to date. Use functions/tools provided (created) by the official software developers to update and activate the installed software.

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 the "I Regret To Inform You About Some Sad News For You" email letter:

Subject: Don't miss your unsettled payment. Complete your debt payment now.

Hi there!

I regret to inform you about some sad news for you.
Approximately a month or two ago I have succeeded to gain a total access to all your devices utilized for browsing internet.
Moving forward, I have started observing your internet activities on continuous basis.

Go ahead and take a look at the sequence of events provided below for your reference:
Initially I bought an exclusive access from hackers to a long list of email accounts (in today's world, that is really a common thing, which can arranged via internet).
Evidently, it wasn't hard for me to proceed with logging in your email account (-).

Within the same week, I moved on with installing a Trojan virus in Operating Systems for all devices that you use to login to email.
Frankly speaking, it wasn't a challenging task for me at all (since you were kind enough to click some of the links in your inbox emails before).
Yeah, geniuses are among us.

Because of this Trojan I am able to gain access to entire set of controllers in devices (e.g., your video camera, keyboard, microphone and others).
As result, I effortlessly downloaded all data, as well as photos, web browsing history and other types of data to my servers.
Moreover, I have access to all social networks accounts that you regularly use, including emails, including chat history, messengers, contacts list etc.
My unique virus is incessantly refreshing its signatures (due to control by a driver), and hence remains undetected by any type of antiviruses.

Hence, I guess by now you can already see the reason why I always remained undetected until this very letter...

During the process of compilation of all the materials associated with you,
I also noticed that you are a huge supporter and regular user of websites hosting nasty adult content.
Turns out to be, you really love visiting porn websites, as well as watching exciting videos and enduring unforgettable pleasures.
As a matter of fact, I was not able to withstand the temptation, but to record certain nasty solo action with you in main role,
and later produced a few videos exposing your masturbation and cumming scenes.

If until now you don't believe me, all I need is one-two mouse clicks to make all those videos with everyone you know,
including your friends, colleagues, relatives and others.
Moreover, I am able to upload all that video content online for everyone to see.
I sincerely think, you certainly would not wish such incidents to take place, in view of the lustful things demonstrated in your commonly watched videos,
(you absolutely know what I mean by that) it will cause a huge adversity for you.

There is still a solution to this matter, and here is what you need to do:
You make a transaction of $1490 USD to my account (an equivalent in bitcoins, which recorded depending on the exchange rate at the date of funds transfer),
hence upon receiving the transfer, I will immediately get rid of all those lustful videos without delay.
After that we can make it look like there was nothing happening beforehand.
Additionally, I can confirm that all the Trojan software is going to be disabled and erased from all devices that you use. You have nothing to worry about,
because I keep my word at all times.

That is indeed a beneficial bargain that comes with a relatively reduced price,
taking into consideration that your profile and traffic were under close monitoring during a long time frame.
If you are still unclear regarding how to buy and perform transactions with bitcoins - everything is available online.

Below is my bitcoin wallet for your further reference: 1r8KDQsoFUWLdV1D2L1vc66YibNDrrYys

All you have is 48 hours and the countdown begins once this email is opened (in other words 2 days).

The following list includes things you should remember and avoid doing:
> There's no point to try replying my email (since this email and return address were created inside your inbox).
> There's no point in calling police or any other types of security services either. Furthermore, don't you dare sharing this info with any of your friends.
 If I discover that (taking into consideration my skills, it will be really simple, because I control all your systems and continuously monitor them) -
 your nasty clip will be shared with public straight away.
> There's no point in looking for me too - it won't result in any success. Transactions with cryptocurrency are completely anonymous and untraceable.
> There's no point in reinstalling your OS on devices or trying to throw them away. That won't solve the issue,
 since all clips with you as main character are already uploaded on remote servers.

Things that may be concerning you:
> That funds transfer won't be delivered to me.
 Breathe out, I can track down everything right away, so once funds transfer is finished,
 I will know for sure, since I interminably track down all activities done by you (my Trojan virus controls all processes remotely, just as TeamViewer).
> That your videos will be distributed, even though you have completed money transfer to my wallet.
Trust me, it is worthless for me to still bother you after money transfer is successful. Moreover, if that was ever part of my plan, I would do make it happen way earlier!

We are going to approach and deal with it in a clear manner!

In conclusion, I'd like to recommend one more thing... after this you need to make certain you don't get involved in similar kind of unpleasant events anymore!
My recommendation - ensure all your passwords are replaced with new ones on a regular basis.

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is I Regret To Inform You About Some Sad News For You sextortion scam?
• 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?

This sextortion email is not personal. Most likely, your email address was obtained after a data breach or entered on a compromised website.

Was my computer actually hacked and does the sender have any information?

No, your computer is neither hacked nor infected. As we mentioned in our article, scammers use a spoofing technique to make it look like the email is sent from a recipient's address. They use this technique to trick unsuspecting users into believing that their accounts have been hacked.

How did cyber criminals get my email account password?

Usually, threat actors obtain passwords after data breaches. Also, cybercriminals might have the password from some phishing website (or other untrustworthy page) where it was provided

I have sent cryptocurrency to the address presented in such email, can I get my money back?

It is very unlikely. Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible. Thus, it is impossible to retrieve transferred funds without the interference of the recipient.

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect (and remove) almost all known malware. It is important to mention that high-end malware usually hides deep in the system. Therefore, operating systems must be scanned using a full scan to detect and remove malware of this kind.

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