Blackmail
FBI: Hackers target online accounts to steal nude photos
The FBI warns that cybercriminals are targeting adults’ and children’s social media and other online accounts to steal sexually explicit images or videos. As the law enforcement agency explained in a public service announcement published this week, the attackers may use the stolen content to blackmail the victims or try to sell it on criminal […]
Member of The Com sent to prison for blackmail, sextortion
A member of “The Com,” a loose-knit online cybercrime collective that targets children and teenagers, has been sentenced to two years in prison for blackmail and sextortion offenses against nearly 120 victims worldwide. 20-year-old Justin Swaddle from Leeds (known as ‘Epstein’, ‘Rugen’ and ‘Moscow’ on Snapchat, Telegram, and Discord) was first arrested in October 2023 […]
Crypto-exchange Kraken extorted by hackers after insider breach
The Kraken cryptocurrency exchange announced that a cybercrime group is trying to extort the company by threatening to release videos showing internal systems that host client data. The company’s Chief Security Officer, Nick Percoco, stated that the incident did not put client funds at risk and involved an insider threat, with two instances of improper access to […]
ViLE gang members sentenced for extortion, police portal breach
Two members of a group of cybercriminals named ViLE were sentenced this week for hacking into a federal law enforcement web portal in an extortion scheme. According to court documents, ViLE specializes in obtaining personal information about targets to harass, threaten, or extort them, a practice known as “doxing.” To collect sensitive information on their victims, […]