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Trending: The Sextortion Scammers

Factual

The Sextortion Scammers

23/11/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Trending, The Sextortion Scammers

We investigate criminals who use your password to threaten to expose you on social media

We investigate the criminals who threaten to expose you on social media, using password hacking. 

Imagine you open your email and there’s a message in there from someone that knows some of your personal information – like your laptop password. Not only that, but they’re threatening to reveal your darkest secrets on social media, unless you pay a ransom in anonymous cryptocurrency. That’s been happening to people all over the world - including our reporter Jo Whalley. 

Jo finds out how cyber criminals have got hold of people’s personal information and about the huge sums of money people have been paying to the scammers. 

Presenter: Mike Wendling 
Reporter: Jo Whalley 
Studio Manager: Neil Churchill 

Photo Caption: Photo illustration of hackers 
Photo Credit: Getty Images

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