'Jeanson J. Ancheta' Email Scam

Not all cybercriminals are as smart and as capable as we sometimes tend to perceive them. More often than not, they rely more on our naivety and ignorance to sink their claws into our wallets more than they rely on their technical skills. Such is the case with the ‘Jeanson J. Ancheta’ email scam.

Uses the Name of an Infamous Hacker to Intimidate Users

Upon investigating this operation, malware experts found that the shady individuals behind it appear to be a low-end hacking group. They have used the name of the notorious American hacker called Jeanson James Ancheta. He has served five years in prison for operating a botnet. The authors of the ‘Jeanson J. Ancheta’ tactic have likely used the infamous cyber crook’s name as a social engineering technique. They rely on the fact that the user will Google the name and may think that they have become the victim of a very threatening and high-profile cybercriminal like Jeanson James Ancheta most certainly, which will, in turn, make them more likely to pay up the fee requested. However, cyber crooks of the level of Ancheta will never use their real name when launching an ill-minded campaign.

Claims to Have a Compromising Video Starring the User

The authors of the ‘Jeanson J. Ancheta’ email scam state that initially, their idea was to infect the user’s computer and lock all their data and then offer them e decryption tool in return for cash. The plans appear to have changed, however, as the ‘Jeanson J. Ancheta’ tactic can be classified as a ‘sextortion’ operation. The attackers claim that they had access to the victim’s Webcam and have recorded them engaging in inappropriate behavior while enjoying adult entertainment online. Furthermore, the creators of the ‘Jeanson J. Ancheta’ email scam state that they also have access to the user’s contact list and that everyone on it will be sent the supposed embarrassing video unless they pay the attackers $650 in the shape of Bitcoin.

However, this is a lie. The attackers have not compromised your system with any threats, they do not have access to your contact list, and they have not recorded you via your Webcam certainly. Keep in mind that if you browse shady websites, you may end up coming across similar tactics.