Have you found an email in your inbox that appears to have been sent from the same account with which you’re logged in but don’t recall sending it?
The email may claim that the sender has hacked your email account and device, posing a severe security threat. They may also threaten you with leaking your private video and seek a ransom if you don’t want that to happen.
So, has your account or device really been compromised, and what should you do if that’s the case?
What Is the “I Have Sent You an Email From Your Account” Scam?
The “I have sent you an email from your account” scam involves cybercriminals convincing the potential victim that they have emailed them from the victim’s account. Scammers claim they have access to the recipient’s email account and have been watching the recipient for weeks or months. They even include the account’s current or old password in the email, which they might have acquired through a security breach. By reminding users that they can access their accounts, they warn them against changing their passwords.
Threat actors allege that victims have contracted the infection when they visited an adult website. To make matters worse, scammers state that they update email signatures every few hours so that no antivirus can detect or remove their malware. They make the victim feel fearful by claiming they can spy on the victim, remotely control their device, access the camera and microphone, and even lock them out of their device.
As part of their threat, the scammers state that they obtained the contact information of the would-be victims' friends and family members and recorded the victim watching adult content. They pledge to send the video to all their contacts if their ransom demands aren’t met.
In ransom, they ask for a few hundred to a thousand dollars and provide aBitcoin wallet addressfor the victim to send the money. To create urgency, they give users a two to three-day deadline. They assure their targets that once they receive money, the video will be deleted, and they will never contact them again.
While the email may come in various formats, the context is always the same: threatening users with compromising videos and demanding a ransom to keep them private.
How Can You Determine if Your Email Account Has Been Hacked?
Because scammers claim to have hacked your account and gained full access, it makes sense to confirm that claim. So, how can you do this?
Look at the email you received to see if it was sent from your account. Check for spelling errors, special characters disguised as alphabets, or full stops in the middle of the email address. In addition, check your sent emails to see if you can find one sent from your account to your account.
If your email address differs from the one used by scammers, your account has not been compromised; they are just trying to scare you into falling for their scam. However, your account may have been compromised if you received the email from your own account.
Scammers also add a password, claiming it is your current password or an old one you used on your account. If they mention an old password you changed months ago, your account may be entirely safe, as a data breach may have exposed your previous password to scammers.
In contrast, if they include your current password in the email, your account has probably been hacked.
If your email account hasn’t been compromised, you should delete the email and block the sender so you don’t hear from them again. If scammers know your current password, indicating they have hacked your email account, you should take a few precautions to safeguard it.
What Should You Do if Your Account Has Been Hacked?
If you suspect your email account has been hacked, immediately change the password. When you change it, instruct your email client to log your account out of all devices where it is currently logged in. You should also change your account’s recovery email address or phone number to prevent scammers from changing your password again.
After securing your account, you shouldrun a quick security scan using Microsoft Defenderor another built-in security scanner. If the scanner finds a virus, follow the instructions to eradicate it. You can also use third-party antivirus software to eliminate Trojans and infections from your device.
Following that,search for suspicious connections on your deviceand remove any that seem shady. Also, turn off or cover your webcam, muffle your microphone, and disconnect your device from the internet. Taking these steps will protect your device and the data within it and safeguard your privacy.
Most of the claims scammers make about having access to a video of you watching adult content are false. Therefore, under no circumstances should you transfer any money to a scammer’s Bitcoin wallet. Notify relevant authorities so they can take action against the perpetrators.
How to Protect Your Email Account From Hackers
Now that you’ve secured your email account, follow the below tips to ensure it never gets compromised again:
Secure Your Email Account From Scammers
Seeing a threatening email in your email inbox can be alarming. But now that you better understand how this extortion scam works, it will be easier to identify whether your email account has been compromised.
Make sure you take the necessary steps to protect your account and educate others about this scam, so they can also stay safe.
