We Hacked Your System Email Scam

The 'We Hacked Your System' email scam is a type of sextortion scheme that thrives on fear, shame, and deception. Recipients of these emails are falsely accused of being filmed via their device's camera while visiting adult websites. The scammers claim to have compromised the recipient's system with a trojan, allegedly planted during a visit to a pornographic site, and threaten to expose this fabricated footage to the victim's contacts unless a ransom is paid.

The reality? It's all a lie. Cybersecurity professionals have analyzed these emails and confirmed they are nothing but spam with empty threats.

Breaking Down the Lies

These emails typically follow a scripted formula:

• False Infection Claim: The message alleges your device was infected with malware that harvested your sensitive data and accessed your webcam.
• Fabricated Recording: You're told you were recorded while viewing explicit content.
• Bitcoin Demand: The sender gives you 50 hours to pay $1300 in Bitcoin or face public humiliation.
• Threat of Exposure: Supposedly, if you refuse to pay or share the email with anyone, the non-existent video will be sent to your email, social media, and messaging contacts.

However, none of these claims are true. No malware was installed. No video was recorded. Your private data was not stolen. These scams rely solely on psychological manipulation.

Why Victims can’t Get Their Money Back

The scam demands payment in Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency known for its decentralized, anonymous transactions. Once sent, it's nearly impossible to trace or recover the funds. Unfortunately, many victims pay out of panic, only to realize too late that they've been duped.

Not Just Sextortion: The Broader Spam Threat

The 'We Hacked Your System' scam is one facet of a much larger problem. Email-based scams come in many forms and are used to distribute both lies and malware. Here are just a few examples of what malicious emails may contain:

• Phishing and Social Engineering – Emails designed to steal your personal information by pretending to be legitimate services.
• Malware Delivery – Attachments or links that install malicious software on your device, such as ransomware, spyware or Trojans.

These payloads are often disguised in common file types, including:

• Executables (.exe, .bat)
• Archives (.zip, .rar)
• Documents (.docx, .pdf) that may prompt you to enable macros
• OneNote files with embedded malicious links or scripts

Don’t Let Panic Override Common Sense

While some scam emails are riddled with spelling mistakes and look obviously fake, others are surprisingly convincing. Never assume you're safe just because something looks official. Stay skeptical, be cautious with attachments or links, and never pay a ransom. Remember: if an email is trying to scare you into secrecy and urgency, it's probably a tactic.