‘Personal data breaches make email blackmail scams increasingly targeted’

Islamabad: A leading cyber security company has warned that personal data breaches have made email blackmail scams increasingly targeted.

According to a new report of Kaspersky issued on Tuesday, the attackers are incorporating personal details like full names and phone numbers in scam emails to appear credible and induce panic among victims. Scammers may pose as hackers with compromising data, law enforcement agencies issuing fake summons, or even hired assassins demanding ransoms. These threats often leverage techniques to evade email filters and other security solutions, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance.

In the most common variant, scammers impersonate hackers who claim to have infiltrated the victim's devices. They allege to have access to cameras, microphones, browsing history, and sensitive files, often threatening to release explicit content captured via webcam or screen recordings supposedly taken whilst the victim was watching adult content. Demands typically evolve hundreds of US dollars in cryptocurrency, with promises to delete the data upon payment. These emails may include detailed narratives of the supposed breach, including explanations of malware types and advice on better security – ironically, tips that align with genuine best practices.

Scammers masquerading as law enforcement agencies also, such as FIA. Victims receive emails with attached PDF or DOC files containing fake summonses accusing them of serious crimes like child exploitation, exhibitionism, or human trafficking. These documents cite fabricated articles of legal codes, feature forged signatures and seals, and urge immediate contact via a provided email to "resolve" the matter. Upon response, the "authorities" demand paying fines to avoid prosecution, often leading to cryptocurrency transfers.

To avoid falling victim to scams, Kaspersky recommends always check the email's From field and compare it to the return email address in the Reply-To field or mentioned in the text of the message, the report added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025