Professional Viewpoint

Learn to identify counterfeit money. Report suspected counterfeit currency to the U.S. Secret Service.

Have you ever heard your mobile phone buzz, pick it up to check it, notice that there is no activity on your phone, and then realize that the alarm was really coming from your television? You got faked. Con artists do similar things, but on purpose. They try to get you to believe that an alarm is ringing when in reality nothing is happening at all. They use your predictable emotions against you, just like a hunter calling in the turkeys for the kill. There is an email scheme that is currently active, among many others. It starts like this: "Hello! I have very bad news for you. 17/07/2019 - on this day I hacked your OS and got full access to your account xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx. You can check it - I sent this message from your account...." It goes on and on for a long time with all kinds of gentle threats. The header will show that it was sent from you, to you. So, it genuinely looks like they sent it from your own email! First off, don’t fall for that. It is a fake. Then they go on to explain to you how they exploited a software vulnerability in your router. The truth is that they do not even know who you are or where you are. It really sounds scary and believable at that point, but then it builds an even stronger case. The email goes on to explain that they have downloaded all kinds of illicit material from your “device.” They claim to have used your own computer camera to take pictures and have put together an interesting presentation that you would not want anyone to ever see. They say they have also downloaded your contacts. So, supposedly they even know who to send your unfortunate information. To top it off, they explain that when you opened the email, it automatically started a timer which they will be monitoring. You have 48 hours to pay them $948 in Bitcoin, or your reputation will be ruined and your information locked up. A common Bitcoin wallet address given to which to send the Bitcoin is as follows: 15yF8WkUg8PRjJehYW4tGdqcyzc4z7dScM. They tell you that if you try to take actions to fix the issue then it will create further problems for you. They explain that getting rid of the data from your computer will not help you because they have already downloaded it, plus what they have recorded from watching you. A query with the website www.BitcoinAbuse.com revealed that as of this writing, that wallet address had been registered as abusive 239 times with approximately 3.3 Bitcoins having been paid in ransom money. That is a pure shame if it is accurate. The threat is a SHAM. It is a fake. They do not have anything. Don’t fall for it. Someone just has an email list. They are emailing thousands of people and changing each header to make them look like they are sending an email from you to you. Why? Because that looks scary! They only need to convince less than one in a hundred to pay and they will make some good money. If you receive such a threat, go to https://ic3.gov on the internet and file a complaint with the FBI.

Tips on what to do if your computer is infected by ransomware.