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I have just received an email with the from address being the same as my own email address but Google has correctly classified it as spam and it went straight to my Spam folder.
The content of the email is quite similar to this. Now, obviously this appears to be a spam email by some scammers who are looking to make a quick buck. The Bitcoin Wallet also appears on the Bitcoin Abuse Database and a lot of people have reported similar emails.
Can someone please confirm that this is just a spam email and that they do not have access to may accounts. I use 2FA for my Gmail account, so there is no way they could have accessed my Gmail account.
If this is not a scam, what could I possibly do to protect my laptop?
Funnily enough, when I received this email I had not changed my Gmail password at all. I have changed it now.
Hi, dear user of gmail.com
We have installed one RAT software into you device For this moment your email account is hacked too. I know your password. I logged in to your account and wrote this letter to you from there.
Changed your password? You're doing great! But my software recognizes every such action. I'm updating passwords! I'm always one step ahead....
So... I have downloaded all confidential information from your system and I got some more evidence. The most interesting moment that I have discovered are videos records where you masturbating.
I posted Spelevo Exploit modification on porn site, and then you installed my malicious code (trojan) on your operation system. When you clicked the button Play on porn video, at that moment my trojan was downloaded to your device. After installation, your front camera shoots video every time you masturbate, in addition, the software is synchronized with the video you choose. For the moment, the software has harvrested all your contact information from social networks and email addresses. If you need to erase all of your collected data and videos, send me $718 in BTC (crypto currency).
This is my Bitcoin wallet: 13yAsTuS6MyjNUYde4EBabTZJFfZBRTZu1
You have 48 hours after reading this letter. After your transaction I will erase all your data. Otherwise, I will send a video with your sweepstakes to all your colleagues, friends and relatives!!!
P.S. I ask you not to reply to this email, this is impossible (the sender's address is your own address). And henceforth be more careful! Please visit only secure sites!
Bye,Bye...
Concerned Gmail User
Posted 2019-10-29T20:31:25.260
Reputation: 1
4This is an obvious scam. However, asking about if an email is legitmant, is out of scope here at Super User (or really any Stack Exchange community). – Ramhound – 2019-10-29T20:33:59.500
@Ramhound Thanks! I had added an additional edit as well - if this isn't a scam, then is there anything I can do to protect my laptop? – Concerned Gmail User – 2019-10-29T20:39:02.803
3@ConcernedGmailUser - There is no chance the email you recieved isn't a scam If you system had a RAT installed on it, then you would have to format your device, and reinstall your OS. This easily could be a duplicate of the question we typically use to close question about malicious software. This type of scam is the same type of scam you get from "friends" who are "in another country but they need money for some reason". Stop worrying about a scam. – Ramhound – 2019-10-29T20:42:02.847
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Possible duplicate of https://superuser.com/questions/100360/how-can-i-remove-malicious-spyware-malware-adware-viruses-trojans-or-rootkit
– Ramhound – 2019-10-29T20:46:16.383@Ramhound Thanks for the detailed comment. I started to worry with the double-negative in the first sentence, but the last line in bold is fantastic to hear. :-) – Concerned Gmail User – 2019-10-29T20:50:57.420
Not really I good candidate for the proposed dup since the user's machine isn't infected. – I say Reinstate Monica – 2019-10-29T21:48:53.100