Blackmail email from my own email address

Question

Blackmail email from my own email address

Anonymous

Hi,

I have had a blackmail email from my own email address, I am unsure if this is a spoofed email address as when I click on it then it suggests it will reply to my own inbox, but there is no sent item in my sent box.

The email suggests they have recorded me watching pornography and want bitcoin or they will release it to all my social media and contacts.

I have two factor authentication on my email address and social media.

Is this is a spoof email scam or do I need to be concerned? How do they show my email address so that I can even reply to myself?

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3 answers

Answer 1

Hello DomAston

Hi, I'm Karl and will be happy to help you today.

>>

The email suggests they have recorded me watching pornography

<<

Rest assured that this is nothing more then a scam and should ignored and deleted. I've received some 800+ messages like that over the last 2 years.

As for

>>

How do they show my email address so that I can even reply to myself?

<<

Any spammer can "spoof" the <From> address in a message to make it look like it comes from wherever they want. Nothing to worry about

Answer 2

>>

when I tried to block the sender it blocked my own email address, is this to be expected?

<<

Yes - if you never send emails to yourself then it doesn't matter. Usually the Outlook.com Junk filter will automatically send messages sent <From> you <To> to the Junk filter.

Best thing to do with any messages like this (whether using your email address as the <From> address or not) that land in your <Inbox> is to just delete them. I got 3 of these messages today (so far) so if my history is any indication, you'll get a lot more of these

The following is a standard reply I give to those who ask about a sudden increase in <spam> and <unexpected> log in attempts which you may find of interest

The usual source of a sudden increase in failed login attempts or spam mail received is that the email address was harvested by a hacker who breached a data base on a website where you subscribed to something. That database gets repeatedly sold to other hackers/spammers on the dark web.

Many people think that hackers penetrate the actual Microsoft servers to gain access to email accounts when that isn't the case. Instead they gain access to an actual account via any number of other ways including phishing emails.

You can check to see if the email address comes up on a breached database on the following website created/run by Microsoft MVP Troy Hunt.

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

Pwned websites

https://haveibeenpwned.com/PwnedWebsites#Epik

Other articles that may be of interest

The 773 Million Record "Collection #1" Data Breach

https://www.troyhunt.com/the-773-million-record...

How Do Spammers Get My Email Address?

https://www.lifewire.com/how-do-spammers-get-my...

Protect your privacy on the internet

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/409145...

*** if you find that the email address was on a breached website where a password was also entered, what you really do want to do is make sure that the same email address/password combination is NOT being used on other sites (i.e. Social Media, Facebook, Paypal, Amazon etc) and if that password is still the one being used on your email account - make sure to change it immediately. Not a question of <IF> a hacker will test those account(s) - just a matter of <WHEN>

Required Forum Disclaimer: The above links is a non-Microsoft website. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

Answer 3

Anonymous

Thank you Karl, when I tried to block the sender it blocked my own email address, is this to be expected?

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Blackmail email from my own email address

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