Well, friends, I had a very scary experience the other day, and I wanted to share just in case anyone else has anything similar happen.
As many of you know, I write books. Some of my work is in the University Library System at UAB, so occasionally I do hear from a student. Well, I was contacted by someone saying they were a UAB student, and they wanted to chat with me briefly. Naturally, I assumed this was nothing sinister.
I was wrong.
I opened google hangout, and found a nice looking woman on the small screen. What I didn't realize was that the invite I'd gotten also opened my camera - after just a few seconds of me waiting for her to say something, or type something, I was sent a video - a video with 'my image' from the chat, added in to someone else (who was doing naughty things on camera that should not be done on camera).
Before I could ask, "What the hell??" the person (now I'm not sure who they really were) says, 'for $1500, this video doesn't have to be sent to your friends and family, or go online'.
My response was that I hadn't done anything; that wasn't me in the video. Their answer was chilling.
"It doesn't have to be real to ruin your life".
Long and short of the story was, I was stupid and trusting, and these scammers are very good at what they do. I did not send any money, but I have had to deactivate all my social media for a few weeks at least (aside from here - I feel safe here). But it was very stressful, and very frightening.
I am usually smarter than that. Now, I plan on painting over the front facing camera. And unless it's in person, I'm not accepting chat invites from people I don't know - even if it sounds like it could be legit.
Everyone - be careful. It's my understanding that, while it s mostly men being targeted with this kind of scam, that women have fallen victim as well. One person whose testimony I read said that they were gotten for over $8k. And yes, a few people have had the videos put online.
So - be careful, my friends. After all this, I think I need a drink.
-Derek
21
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31 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.You should report it to the police and even the local news stations. I know my local news has a "don't fall for it" segment where they talk about current scams
LadyAlyxandrea
Level 8
Mar 6, 2018
6
Just a piece of low tack tape with a small piece of paper covering the lens is less destructive and equally secure. As for the other part, I never go on live chat with anyone I don't know.
evidentialist
Level 8
Mar 6, 2018
5
I use blue painters tape on my camera lense, it seems to do the trick.
I have a post-it note on it.
You did not contact the police? Why not? Extortion and blackmail are criminat offenses.
Spinliesel
Level 9
Mar 6, 2018
4
Local police can't really do much without knowing for sure who the person is, and if they're from outside the country they are not going to ever get caught. Last year my hospital was assaulted by a man in India who hacked all our phones so that every phone line was tied up by him demanding information. It lasted DAYS. Cops couldn't do anything. We would block whatever number came up and he would computer generate HUNDREDS of different numbers.
Oddly enough all it took for him to stop was our security director telling him "the information you want isn't here" no amount of ignoring him, threatening to call the police, actually calling the police, threatening to call the fbi, threatening to chop his dick off and shove it down his throat would make him stop just 'sorry it ain't here'
It's horrible.
@LadyAlyxandrea - sadly, these people are almost impossible to find. Being a computer tech, I did find some traceable information (to phone number out of Louisiana ), but even that turned out to be a dead end.
Best thing I can do is to spread the word, and do better on protecting myself.
@LadyAlyxandrea what info did he want?
@btroje information on an employee that he was not going to get. Most persistent scammer ever
@LadyAlyxandrea sounds like it
My answer is always the same, yes , I will pay you but you need to pick up the money in person; funny thing doing this is that the price immediately goes down. I then still insist on in person payment and the price goes down again and so on. So, far no scammer has even followed through with their threat or agreed to meet me to collect.
I don't go online with my phone and my camera points at the screen no me when I am not using it.
HeathenFarmer
Level 8
Mar 6, 2018
3
Wow - So sorry that happened to you. It's shocking how awful some people in this world can be, and our global interconnectedness now often puts the perpetrators beyond the reach of our laws while enabling them to wreak havoc from a distance. People sometimes snicker at me when they see that I have a strip of paper taped over my laptop camera lens, but better safe than sorry. Thank you for the warning to all of us.
Katrillian
Level 4
Mar 6, 2018
2
I've never been one to be afraid; generally, if someone wants to try and screw me over, my attitude is "bring it"; but - I am a single father, with a disabled son who is non-verbal. That is really not the kind of fight I want to HAVE to fight, or put my kids through.
(note - my daughter is 19, and my son is 18, but they will always be my kids)
Omg! Horrible! I have tape over my work monitor camera, and my home laptop monitor cam. Not on my phone cam though. Should I???
LilAtheistLady
Level 7
Mar 6, 2018
2
First thing you do, cover your camera and mic. Aways keep them covered. Unless you know the person on the other end of the convo.
MrPKitty
Level 5
Mar 6, 2018
2
Where's the mic? What does it look like?
@ElizabethI depends on what you're on. On a lap top it tends to be a little, slightly recessed circle or rectangle on one side. You can just put a piece of electrical tape over it
I would say that is scary, except my family and I are estranged and I couldn't care and I have kinky friends that would get a laugh out of it, probably.
Still, I'll be cautious
Sciencemama
Level 6
Mar 6, 2018
2
That’s craziness man. Glad you didn’t pay them. (Don’t ruin your camera with paint, a small piece of electrical tape will do.)
DelilahJones33
Level 6
Mar 6, 2018
2
Jnei:
Yep. That's the first thing I do with every laptop, tablet and phone I buy. Best to put a little patch of surgical lint between the tape and lens so you don't get adhesive on the glass.
I read your post on Friday, and on Saturday I happened to watch an episode of "Black Mirror" with a very similar situation. If you have Netflix, it is season 3, episode 3 titled "Shut Up and Dance." I have always put a small Post-it flag over the camera on my laptops, but after this weekend I now also have one on my phone. I hope your situation doesn't go any further. Thanks for the warning.
dkp93
Level 8
Mar 12, 2018
1
Have you heard of the new face-swapping AI that
1: analyses a video feed
2: analyses multiple photos of the face of another person
3: substitutes that face into any other face in the video
Jump to about 4 minutes to see Nicholas Cage's face inserted into Amy Adam's face.
I posted this on the site a few weeks ago. And I remembered your post above when I posted this again in the AI/Robotics group.
SamKerry
Level 7
Mar 7, 2018
1
A friend of mine, a professional programmer who has worked in cyber security, tells me there are viruses that can switch your camera on without you knowing. I always cover the camera on any laptop, tablet or phone I buy just in case, with a patch of surgical lint or snipped from a lens-cleaning cloth to protect the glass. It's not just perverts who might be interested in the ability to do this - all you'd need to do is hold your credit card in your hand while typing in the number to purchase something online and they could get the details they need to access your account.
Jnei
Level 8
Mar 7, 2018
1
Here is something that being a punk taught me: I would tell all my friends and family that I am starring in a porn movie and if they could give me an honest critique of my performance. And remind the criminals not to forget to send it to the FBI as well as my grandma, she always wanted me to be a star. Make sure my name is spelled correctly, and I want LEAD BILLING OR I AM GONNA TALK TO MY AGENT. By the way, you wouldn't know of a good agent, would you?
JohnnyThorazine
Level 7
Mar 6, 2018
1
So, we need outr own personal hacker to protect us??
Spinliesel
Level 9
Mar 6, 2018
1
feels that way sometimes, doesn't it?
Honestly, I know a LOT about computers; I was just stupid and let my guard down. (that's part of the problem with trying to market your work - it opens you up to Needing to talk to people you don't know).
I think this author is about to become much more reclusive.
Understand how you feel-had a Nigerian scammer 7 yrs ago and felt violated-attended a support group. Time has changed using the computer unfortunately.
sassygirl3869
Level 9
Mar 6, 2018
1
Don't click on the bait, Derek, please, don't click! Painting on your camera is going overboard, don't you think? Don't you Skype or FaceTime? Just use a piece of masking / painter's tape. Glad you didn't lose any $ ... and to think, our entire homes will soon be online, just waiting for the next hacking scammer (or scamming hack)!
pnullifidian
Level 7
Mar 7, 2018
0
Enjoy being online again!
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