Phunny Phishing

[audreyh1]

OK - this wasn’t really phishing, more like extortion/blackmail sent to a friend of mine with no attached images or files:

Hello,

I am a spyware software developer. Your account has been hacked by me in the summer of 2018.

I understand that it is hard to believe, but here is my evidence (I sent you this email from your account).

The hacking was carried out using a hardware vulnerability through which you went online (Cisco router, vulnerability CVE-2018-0296).

I went around the security system in the router, installed an exploit there. When you went online, my exploit downloaded my malicious code (rootkit) to your device. This is driver software, I constantly updated it, so your antivirus is silent all time.

Since then I have been following you (I can connect to your device via the VNC protocol). That is, I can see absolutely everything that you do, view and download your files and any data to yourself. I also have access to the camera on your device, and I periodically take photos and videos with you.

At the moment, I have harvested a solid dirt... on you... I saved all your email and chats from your messangers. I also saved the entire history of the sites you visit.

I note that it is useless to change the passwords. My malware update passwords from your accounts every times.

I know what you like hard funs (adult sites). Oh, yes .. I'm know your secret life, which you are hiding from everyone. Oh my God, what are your like... I saw THIS ... Oh, you dirty naughty person ...

I took photos and videos of your most passionate funs with adult content, and synchronized them in real time with the image of your camera. Believe it turned out very high quality!

So, to the business! I'm sure you don't want to show these files and visiting history to all your contacts.

Transfer $909 to my Bitcoin cryptocurrency wallet: [wallet number] Just copy and paste the wallet number when transferring. If you do not know how to do this - ask Google.

My system automatically recognizes the translation. As soon as the specified amount is received, all your data will be destroyed from my server, and the rootkit will be automatically removed from your system. Do not worry, I really will delete everything, since I am 'working' with many people who have fallen into your position. You will only have to inform your provider about the vulnerabilities in the router so that other hackers will not use it.

Since opening this letter you have 48 hours. If funds not will be received, after the specified time has elapsed, the disk of your device will be formatted, and from my server will automatically send email and sms to all your contacts with compromising material.

I advise you to remain prudent and not engage in nonsense (all files on my server).

Good luck!

I guess some folks would really get worried though.

It was spoofed to their email address to make it look like their account is hacked, but spoofing email addresses is easy to do.

 

[braumeister]

I find those things in my junk mail folder all the time.

 

[audreyh1]

I find those things in my junk mail folder all the time.

Yeah, we probably have had those blocked too. So I never read through one.

 

[Midpack]

I get those from time to time, most are easily identified as fakes, but they are getting more clever all the time. Usually just looking at the email address it's sent from gives the hacker away without even reading the content. The above is pretty elaborate, though the grammatical errors would surely make it seem suspicious.

 

[folivier]

Or copy them when you forward the email to the FBI.

 

[hausfrau]

The language syntax makes it seem obvious, but I remember getting one of those ransomware viruses a few years ago. I knew it was fake but it freaked me out because it captured a picture of my three year old daughter in it! Since then, I've always taped over the camera on my laptop.

 

[GrayHare]

Poor English suggests an overseas source, but what gives it away as fake are the so-called hacks that are incorrectly described.

 

[audreyh1]

The language syntax makes it seem obvious, but I remember getting one of those ransomware viruses a few years ago. I knew it was fake but it freaked me out because it captured a picture of my three year old daughter in it! Since then, I've always taped over the camera on my laptop.

Seriously! There was a photo?

 

[ERD50]

....

It was spoofed to their email address to make it look like their account is hacked, but spoofing email addresses is easy to do.

Can you tell me more? I am very careful to avoid clicking links in emails, but the fakes are usually obvious since the 'from' address is clearly not what a real sender would use.

So they can make it look like the email came from my account? Or is it just the display name, and hovering over it (what I do) would expose the 'real' address?

The language syntax makes it seem obvious, but I remember getting one of those ransomware viruses a few years ago. I knew it was fake but it freaked me out because it captured a picture of my three year old daughter in it! Since then, I've always taped over the camera on my laptop.

Seriously! There was a photo?

Yikes? I don't understand how hausfrau can say it was fake if they actually captured a picture!!?? I'd be very, extremely concerned. Big time! And take immediate action! Seriously!

-ERD50

 

[hausfrau]

Seriously! There was a photo?

Yes! It was one of those viruses that takes over your camera on your laptop. My daughter was sitting at the computer desk and it took a picture of her!

 

[jazz4cash]

The language syntax makes it seem obvious, but I remember getting one of those ransomware viruses a few years ago. I knew it was fake but it freaked me out because it captured a picture of my three year old daughter in it! Since then, I've always taped over the camera on my laptop.

Please explain. If it had a photo, how is it fake?

 

[audreyh1]

Can you tell me more? I am very careful to avoid clicking links in emails, but the fakes are usually obvious since the 'from' address is clearly not what a real sender would use.

So they can make it look like the email came from my account? Or is it just the display name, and hovering over it (what I do) would expose the 'real' address?
-ERD50

You have to show the full email header, then you can see where the email comes from. You have to have the original email to do this.

Hovering over things won't help. How to show the full header depends on the email program.

To view email headers in Apple Mail:
Open the message for which you wish to view headers.
From the menu, select View –> Message –> Raw Source.
The full message is displayed with all headers. You can now select the message header for copying.

I think View->Message->All Headers also gives you this info.

 

[hausfrau]

Please explain. If it had a photo, how is it fake?

LOL- I knew it was a fake ransom note. The pic was definitely real because the virus took control of my laptop camera.

 

[ERD50]

LOL- I knew it was a fake ransom note. The pic was definitely real because the virus took control of my laptop camera.

You are being way too cavalier about this. They have control of your computer, they had access to everything!

What are you doing about it? Hopefully a heck of a lot more than tape over the camera?

-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

LOL- I knew it was a fake ransom note. The pic was definitely real because the virus took control of my laptop camera.

And had access to anything else as well as monitoring your computer activity. I hope you got your laptop cleaned up and changed all your internet passwords from a secure device.

 

[Sunset]

I always tape over the camera on the computer, due to the NSA.
Fellow at work used to laugh at me, it was a big joke, until the FBI director testified people should do it.
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/295933-fbi-director-cover-up-your-webcam

 

[DatumPoint5]

Gaining access to webcams is easily accomplished. If you are interested, then visit this link Google Hacks which is the Google Hacking DataBase and then type "webcam" into the "Quick Search" box.

You would be amazed at what you can stumble across using nothing more than the Google Search Engine!!!??

 

[travelover]

Is it too late to get back my $909?

 

[Scrapr]

Is it too late to get back my $909?

Absolutely. Just send in $525 of i tunes gift cards and we will refund your $909 promptly.

*Subject to restocking & handling fee

 

[scrabbler1]

My ladyfriend got one of these. We were amused because she doesn't have a webcam so unless her ordinary monitor or ordinary keyboard or mouse is somehow able to take pictures of her, there is zero chance she has anything to fear.


I can't imagine anyone falling for this, but then again if the scammer sends out 10 million of these scams and gets 1 or 2 suckers to send money, then it's a pretty easy way to make some phunny money.