(no subject)

[the_rck]

Earlier this week, I got a spam message that's aimed at a narrow demographic. It was sent to my old university email (which I still have because I'm technically an employee on indefinite leave. It's used for newsletters and for HR to keep telling me that they'd much rather send all of my payroll materials electronically as opposed to on paper and that it would be so much more secure) and waved around a password that I used in the mid-90s and have changed many times since then.

It was aimed at people who

A) Visit porn websites
B) Are ashamed of it
C) Believe that this spammer has video footage of them doing it
D) Have money to pay a blackmailer
E) Know what Bitcoin is and how to use it.

I'm sure the intersection of those sets is non-zero, but seriously?

I did a quick check to make sure that I don't still have that password anywhere. I still had it at the public library and now don't. I doubt my public library account would be an attractive target for a spammer but just as well not to risk it.

Comments

[oursin]

I had one of those! and at least two other of my internet friends have reported receiving similar communications.

[evalerie]

I've seen at least a couple of people on Facebook who were complaining about receiving that message. Insidious.

[jss]

Yep. "Sextortion" is the buzzword for this one. It's going around the net and U-M sent a warning to IT staff to be on the lookout for it.

[chelseagirl]

Someone else on my f-list received that one, too. Ridiculous.