Do not trust the fake "I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content" email
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of email is "I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content"?
After examining the "I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content" email, we determined that it is used to facilitate a sextortion scam. The spam letter claims that the sender has made a sexually explicit recording of the recipient, which will be sent to their contacts unless a ransom is paid.
It must be emphasized that all these claims are false, i.e., no such video exists in the sender's possession – hence, this email poses no threat to the recipient.
"I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content" email scam overview
The scam email with the subject "BADNEWS FOR YOU [recipient's_email_address]" (may vary) informs the recipient that their devices were infected through a vulnerable router.
Supposedly, the sender used this unauthorized access to record an explicit video of the recipient while they were watching adult-oriented content. Additionally, the letter claims that the recipient's contact lists (e.g., phone numbers, emails, social media friends/followers, etc.) were obtained. The scammers threaten to send the compromising recording as well as search histories and private chats to the recipient's contacts.
To prevent this – the recipient is instructed to transfer 1809 USD worth of BTC (Bitcoin cryptocurrency) to the provided cryptowallet address. Elsewhere in the spam email, the sum is listed as roughly 0.14 BTC. However, at the time of writing, this amount is worth close to 4000 USD; keep in mind that exchange rates constantly fluctuate.
As mentioned in the introduction, this email is fake. Therefore, the recipient's devices were not infected, no videos featuring them were recorded, and no other private information was exfiltrated. These false claims are merely used to trick recipients into transferring money to scammers.
If you have already made a payment, you will not be able to retrieve your funds due to the virtually untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions.
| Name | "I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content" sextortion email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Sexually explicit video was made featuring the recipient, and it will be leaked to their contacts unless a ransom is paid. |
| Cyber Criminal Cryptowallet Address | 1BkssHAdJqrXrRKyFNbfMFLcR82XY2WPXN, 1299S2iatGbLjBF7V5cHdqrpfY7Z8GcBST, 1JtbDrbAjghAYhztKseW5PG6Lk82BUVERi |
| Ransom Amount | $1809 or 0.14 BTC |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Monetary loss |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Sextortion spam campaign examples
We have investigated thousands of spam emails; "You Could Be In Trouble With The Law", "Professional Hacker Managed To Hack Your Operating System", "Porn Websites I Attacked With My Virus Xploit", and "I Know That You Cheat On Your Partner" are merely a few examples of sextortion letters.
Spam mail is used for various scams, ranging from log-in credential phishing to tech support scams. Furthermore, these letters are often used to spread trojans, ransomware, and other malware.
Due to how widespread and potentially well-crafted spam mail can be – we strongly recommend exercising caution with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam emails can have malicious files attached to or linked inside them. These files come in various formats, e.g., documents (Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, PDF, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), JavaScript, and so on.
Once a virulent file is executed, run, or otherwise opened – the infection process (i.e., malware downloads/installation) is triggered. For example, Microsoft Office files infect systems by executing malicious macro commands, while infectious OneNote documents require users to click on embedded files/links.
How to avoid installation of malware?
It is essential to approach incoming emails and other messages with caution. We advise against opening attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail, as they can be virulent. It is important to use post-2010 Microsoft Office versions since they have the "Protected View" mode that prevents automatic macro execution.
It must be mentioned that malware is not proliferated exclusively through spam mail. Therefore, we also recommend being vigilant while browsing since fake and malicious online content usually appears harmless.
Furthermore, all downloads must be performed from official and verified sources. Another recommendation is to activate and update software by using genuine functions/tools, as illegal activation tools ("cracks") and third-party updaters can contain malware.
It must be stressed that having a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date is paramount for device and user safety. Security programs must be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats/issues. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Appearance of this spam email (GIF):
Text presented in the "I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content" spam email letter:
Subject: BADNEWS FOR YOU -
I will be direct You watch adult content often, and I caught you
masturbating. We all do it from time to time. How I did this Your
router
was vulnerable. I was able to inject some code into the firmware,
and every
device connected on the network, including phones, was
compromised. Then I
set every device available to record with the camera only when
you watch
adult content. I also got your contact lists, phone numbers,
emails, social
media contacts, and here is the deal. If you don`t pay me $1809
USD worth
in Bicoin, I will send your masturbation video, search history,
and all your private chat to all
your contacts and all social media
Bitcoin Address: 1BkssHAdJqrXrRKyFNbfMFLcR82XY2WPXN
AMOUNT: 0.14 BTC approximately )
Copy the address perfectly, with no mistakes
Quick TIP:: You can easily buy bitcoin here: paxful , coingate'
, coinbase, or check for bitcoin ATM near you, or Google for
other exchange.
You can send the bitcoin directly to my wallet, or create your
own wallet first here: blockchain, then receive and send to mine,
or swap coin to btc
Also, search for what is No Fap and read about the benefits of no
PMO.
Watching dirty porn is a waste of time, energy, and minerals
from the body
I hope you will think about this very seriously.
In case you wonder why your anti-viruses were not triggered is
because my
code is not set to steal passwords, PIN codes, and other
sensitive details.
The only function is to record with the cameras(in silent mode)
and grab
the contacts. I know that you have that amount of money that is
requested.
So don`t worry about your passwords and bank accounts, However,
for your
mental peace, go ahead, change them.
You have " 7 DAYS " to send the payment. When coins are
submitted ,
the video with you doing; you know what will be destroyed, and
you will
never hear from me.
Next time you cover your cameras, somebody may watch it! Limit
yourself to
one time per month if you can`t go completely No Fap:
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Quick menu:
- What is "I Will Be Direct You Watch Adult Content" sextortion email?
- 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. This mail is distributed in mass-scale campaigns – therefore, thousands of users receive identical messages.
Was my computer actually hacked and does the sender have any information?
No, all the claims made by sextortion scam emails are false. This means that none of your devices were infected, no recordings featuring you were made, and none of your private data is in the scammers' possession.
How did cyber criminals get my email password?
If scammers have acquired your email account password, it is most probable that you had fallen victim to a phishing scam (e.g., attempted to sign in via a fake email log-in page, registered for a bogus service on a scam site, etc.). It is less likely that your log-in credentials were obtained through a malware infection. And the least likely scenario of all is a data breach on a service provider's end.
I have sent cryptocurrency to the address presented in this email, can I get my money back?
No, cryptocurrency transactions are virtually untraceable – which makes them practically irreversible.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by a spam email, what should I do?
If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. And if the disclosed information was of a different personal nature (e.g., ID card details, passport scans/photos, credit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the appropriate authorities.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, merely opening an email will not trigger any malware download/installation chains. Devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened/clicked.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
Whether your device was infected might depend on the open file's format. If it was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) – most likely, yes. However, documents (.doc, .xls, .one, .pdf, etc.) may require additional actions (e.g., enabling macro commands, clicking on embedded files/links, etc.) to start downloading/installing malware.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and eliminate threats. It can remove most of the known malware infections. Note that running a full system scan is crucial – since sophisticated malicious software tends to hide deep within systems.
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