Hacked Email Phishing

[MCFCTrick]

Hi .... I have received a nasty email twice now. It tells me they have hacked through my emails after I opened one from them. (Something I always try to avoid doing carefully.)

I am informed they have a trojan horse in my system, and are actually threatening to make private info public unless I pay $600 via a Bitcoin account. I have no idea how much of this is real or bluff, however since receiving it, my Amazon and Netflix and a couple of other accounts have had change of email requests. (Dealt with) They brag that whatever measures I take, password changes etc, they can beat ....

I have contacted my email provider (Virgin) and they say even suspending my email account may not work if they are 'in' my system. And they recommend a good anti virus programme ... would one remove this? If so which? Help!

ASAP if possible, I am actually going in for heart surgery tomorrow, and could really do without this added stress.

PS, have run a WIndows Defender scan twice, but saying no harmful viruses showing both times. So bluff or cleverer than the Windows Defender?

 

[Centurions]

Hi .... I have received a nasty email twice now. It tells me they have hacked through my emails after I opened one from them. (Something I always try to avoid doing carefully.)

I am informed they have a trojan horse in my system, and are actually threatening to make private info public unless I pay $600 via a Bitcoin account. I have no idea how much of this is real or bluff, however since receiving it, my Amazon and Netflix and a couple of other accounts have had change of email requests. (Dealt with) They brag that whatever measures I take, password changes etc, they can beat ....

I have contacted my email provider (Virgin) and they say even suspending my email account may not work if they are 'in' my system. And they recommend a good anti virus programme ... would one remove this? If so which? Help!

ASAP if possible, I am actually going in for heart surgery tomorrow, and could really do without this added stress.

PS, have run a WIndows Defender scan twice, but saying no harmful viruses showing both times. So bluff or cleverer than the Windows Defender?

Probably BS, but to be on the safe side run through all of the steps at the following (don't skip anything):-

How To Remove Viruses From Windows 10 PC [2023 Updated]

This guide teaches you how to remove clean up an infected Windows 10 computer by following easy step-by-step instructions.

malwaretips.com

That should take care of anything malicious. When you get a chance (sooner rather than later) start changing all of your passwords for secure alternatives. Don't re-use any and don't use your dogs name + 1234 as a password.

 

[Centurions]

Windows has a more than adequate AV system built in with a firewall too.

 

[MCFCTrick]

Probably BS, but to be on the safe side run through all of the steps at the following (don't skip anything):-

How To Remove Viruses From Windows 10 PC [2023 Updated]

This guide teaches you how to remove clean up an infected Windows 10 computer by following easy step-by-step instructions.

malwaretips.com

That should take care of anything malicious. When you get a chance (sooner rather than later) start changing all of your passwords for secure alternatives. Don't re-use any and don't use your dogs name + 1234 as a password.

They have actually shown the password they used....

 

[Centurions]

They have actually shown the password they used....

Not good TBH, did you tell Virgin this as they should have either helped you change it or at least locked the email account for a period to stop them changing anything?

Run through all of those steps above if you can or get someone you trust to do it for you.

Good luck for tomorrow.

 

[Centurions]

Run your email address through the following as well.

Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach

Have I Been Pwned allows you to search across multiple data breaches to see if your email address or phone number has been compromised.

haveibeenpwned.com

 

[JASR]

Run your email address through the following as well.

Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach

Have I Been Pwned allows you to search across multiple data breaches to see if your email address or phone number has been compromised.

haveibeenpwned.com

(Additional info for the OP)

… which will show you anywhere that has a breach (not caused by you). The password they mentioned might just be because you’ve re-used it on more than one site, and one of the sites you’ve used it on, has been attacked and the email/password has been got (again, not caused by you - other than re-using passwords).

It is doubtful you have ‘lost control’ of your PC, and it’s just a scam, using data from websites that have been compromised to scare you.

The best protection for this sort of thing is to have multi-factor authentication enabled, if possible. This is especially true for your actual email account.

You can even turn on multi-factor authentication on your blue moon account…

 

[MCFCTrick]

Cheers all for replies. It seemingly is a well known scam.
The additional use of an genuine email employed is for the effect it has ... concern.

 

[Centurions]

(Additional info for the OP)

… which will show you anywhere that has a breach (not caused by you). The password they mentioned might just be because you’ve re-used it on more than one site, and one of the sites you’ve used it on, has been attacked and the email/password has been got (again, not caused by you - other than re-using passwords).

It is doubtful you have ‘lost control’ of your PC, and it’s just a scam, using data from websites that have been compromised to scare you.

The best protection for this sort of thing is to have multi-factor authentication enabled, if possible. This is especially true for your actual email account.

You can even turn on multi-factor authentication on your blue moon account…

Spot on and all things that actually ran through my head but I've got other things on my mind right now and I got distracted :(

Cheers.

 

[ganganvince]

Don't re-use any and don't use your dogs name + 1234 as a password.

Bugger