Police issue warning following email extortion scam

Scammers send email to victims telling them their computer has been hacked. Photo / 123RF

A scam that threatens to expose porn-viewing habits unless a Bitcoin ransom is paid is doing the rounds again.

Detective Senior Sergeant Callum McNeill says Waitemata Police are investigating a number of recent reports of the email extortion scam which first surfaced 2018.

The scammers send an email to victims telling them their computer has been hacked and a video has been taken through their webcam showing that they've looked at pornographic websites.

The scammers threaten to send the video to the victim's friends and family unless they are paid $1,900 in bitcoins.

"Unfortunately some of the victims have been so concerned that a video of themselves would be leaked that they have paid money to the scammers.

McNeill says the scammers also claim to know the victim's passwords, and in some cases list actual passwords that have been used by the victim in the past, which they've obtained through previously leaked online data breaches.

Police are warning anyone who receives an email of this nature that it is a scam and to immediately delete the email.

McNeill said is also a good idea to regularly change your passwords, but it is particularly important to do so if a password listed by a scammer in the email is one that you still use.

Police want to hear from any victims.

"We ask anyone who believes they are a victim of this scam and has transferred money to contact police by phoning 105."