In an age where our digital footprints are as real as our physical ones, it's no surprise that cybercriminals are finding increasingly sophisticated ways to exploit vulnerabilities.

The latest urgent warning from Scamwatch is a stark reminder that no one is immune to the threat of online scams, with hundreds of Australians falling prey to a particularly vile extortion scheme.

The scam, which has seen a worrying surge in reports, involves perpetrators sending bulk extortion emails to unsuspecting individuals.

These criminals claim to have hacked into personal computers, alleging they have obtained 'compromising' images and videos.

An urgent warning about a large-scale email scam targeting Australians has been issued. Credit: Shutterstock

The threat is clear: pay a ransom in cryptocurrency to a specified address or see your most private moments shared with friends and family.

But here's the twist—Scamwatch has found no evidence that these scammers have hacked their targets or accessed any such compromising material.

Instead, they're using fear tactics, bolstered by personal details such as birth dates and home addresses, to intimidate victims into paying up.

These details are likely sourced from previous public data breaches.

ACCC deputy chief Catriona Lowe has emphasised the need for Australians to be extra vigilant in this emerging trend.

'The fictional threats in these emails combined with the inclusion of people's data are intended to terrify the individual reading it,' Ms Lowe stated.

'It's extortion, and it's a crime.'

The National Anti-Scam Centre is actively working to disrupt this scam and support those affected in collaboration with law enforcement and IDCARE.

The advice to anyone who receives such a suspicious email is unequivocal: ignore or delete it immediately.

Engaging with the scammer or providing money or personal information only deepens the risk.

If you become a victim of this scam and accidentally hand over money or personal details, it's crucial to act fast.

Contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam and halt any transactions.

In other news, Services Australia warned about scams offering fake ‘bonus’ cash payments supposedly to help with cost-of-living pressures.

Scammers are trying to attract individuals with false claims of extra Centrelink payments, aiming to steal personal information. You can read more about it here.

Key Takeaways

• An urgent warning has been issued about a large-scale extortion email scam targeting Australians.
• Scammers claim to have compromising images and videos of the victims and demand payment in cryptocurrency.
• Scamwatch and the ACCC advise that there is no evidence of actual hacking, and personal data likely comes from previous breaches.
• Australians are advised to ignore the scam emails, not give any money or information, and report to Scamwatch if targeted.

Have you or someone you know encountered this scam? What steps do you take to protect your online personal information from scams? Share your experiences in the comments below.

 

[Maggie96]

This has been happening for ages, I have a good laugh at these, they are so pathetic.

 

[Helena B]

I received such an email last week. It was so nasty and made me feel really violated even though I was certain it was a scam. I reported it immediately. There has to be a way to catch these vermin.

 

[DerekKMartin]

A number of years ago I got one of these, crazy thing was, he'd hacked into and gotten access to my email account. Here's the kicker, it was a default email address I got with my ISP, and I never used it. I reported it to my ISP and just changed the password. Problem solved.

 

[magpie1]

It really is important to report these scam messages to the relevant people and not to just delete them and forget them.

 

[Kman]

These details are likely sourced from previous public data breaches. WOW REALLY? Who would have thunk it.

 

[dianajonesshopping]

I received one. My son (IT guy) read it thoroughly, and then told me to ignore it. I clicked on the email, put it in the Spam folder, and clicked on :
- then I clicked on "Yes, block". My D-i-L said that "The 'Google Police' will look at it, and follow it up if it's scamming."
My son also pointed out that as I have paper covering the camera on my computer, then they're not able to see me....that they'd've sent out thousands of emails the same with appropriate name, etc - and that some people will panic and send bitcoin.
I did take it to our local police station, and was told to report it to Scamwatch.
End of Story....
Lesson learned, too - not to click on emails when the sender is unknown.

 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

A number of years ago I got one of these, crazy thing was, he'd hacked into and gotten access to my email account. Here's the kicker, it was a default email address I got with my ISP, and I never used it. I reported it to my ISP and just changed the password. Problem solved.

Disguise your VPN.