Fake sextortion email scam
Learn what to do if you receive an email claiming to have recorded intimate videos or images of you and threatening to share them.
Share this
Last Updated08/10/2024
What is a fake sextortion email?
Scammers send emails claiming they have hacked into your device and recorded intimate videos while you were on porn websites. They threaten to share these videos with your contacts unless you pay them a sum of money. Sometimes, these scam emails even include passwords you currently use or have used in the past for online accounts.
The good news is that even if scammers have a password, it's highly unlikely they have accessed your computer's content, webcam, or browsing history. Their aim is to scare you into making a payment.
If you have lost money or shared personal information (or think you are about to) then you can contact Netsafe for advice and guidance. Our helpline is free, confidential and available 7 days a week.
(https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/new)Email [email protected] 
(mailto:[email protected])Text 'Netsafe' to 4282 
(sms:4282?body=Netsafe)Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends 
(tel:0508638723)How do fake sextortion email scams work?
Scammers send an email claiming your computer has been hacked and that they have obtained intimate recordings of you. These emails may include your password for an online account or appear to come from your own email address. In some cases, scammers may have your physical address due to a data breach and include a screenshot from Google Maps to intimidate you further.
Scammers claim to have access to your contact list and threaten to send the footage to your contacts unless you pay them, often in Bitcoin. Some scam emails also include QR codes to make payments easier.
Thousands of reports of sextortion email scams have been made in New Zealand, but there is no proof of recordings or that any have been released. Even if scammers have your password, it’s very unlikely they’ve accessed your computer's content.
How did they get my password?
If scammers obtained your password, it was likely collected during a data leak from a major online server.
Is my email address compromised?
Emails appearing to come from your own email address are likely "spoofed" and actually sent from the scammer’s email address. It’s unlikely your account is compromised, but it’s a good idea to update your password.
If you engaged in an intimate online conversation and think you may have been filmed, and are now being threatened, visit our sextortion page(/scams/sextortion) for more advice.
What to do if you've been affected by a sextortion email scam
- Do not respond or send any payments to the scammer.
- Immediately change your passwords for any online accounts that may have been breached. Use Have I Been Pwned(https://haveibeenpwned.com/) to check if your email address is on their database of breached accounts.
- Delete the scam email and mark it as spam to help your email filter block future emails.
- Use different passwords for each online account to prevent other accounts from being affected if one is breached.
- Report it to Netsafe
(https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/new)Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])Text 'Netsafe' to 4282 (sms:4282?body=Netsafe)Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends (tel:0508638723)What to do if you've given money or personal information to the scammer
- Report any shared bank account information to your bank. If you sent money via credit card, talk to your bank about applying for a chargeback. If you sent money via online money transfers (such as Bitcoin), the transaction is likely untraceable, and you may not get your money back.
- If you replied to the email with sensitive personal information, use this Identity Theft Checklist(https://www.dia.govt.nz/Identity---Are-you-a-victim-of-identity-theft). If you suspect identity theft, contact iDCare(https://www.idcare.org/) for free help and support.
- If you have lost money to this scam, report it to Netsafe.