# MA-464.032015: MyCERT Alert - Cyber Blackmail Scam is on the Rise

**Date:** 31 Mar 2015  
**Source:** https://www.mycert.org.my/portal/advisory?id=MA-464.032015  
**Advisory ID:** MA-464.032015

---

#### **1.0 Introduction**
Lately in this quarter, MyCERT had been observing an increase in number of cyber blackmail scam incidents from our constituency which involves blackmailing and extorting victims for money. In three months, more than 20 incidents of cyber blackmail scam had been reported to us and more users may fall into victims if proper mitigations are not in practise. Unsuspecting Malaysians continue to be victims, with some being threatened to have their nude photos or compromising videos released on Youtube and social networking sites if they do not pay up, within a certain period of time.
Victims are mainly teenagers to middle aged man and we suspect the perpetrators are male foreigners operating the scam from various locations. The scam uses social networking sites like Facebook, Tagged and online video chats such as Skype as the platform to carry out their activities.
The scam has become a global threat and has become quite serious where victims are threatened, extorted and has serious impacts on their reputation and self image.
**2.0 Modus Operandi**
The modus operandi of the cyber blackmail scam is perpetrators will be friends with potential victims on Facebook or Tagged, portraying themselves as beautiful, sexy women purportedly from the Philipines, Japanese, Korea. Perpetrator will ask the victim to video chat with her using skype and use attractive words to lure the victim. The perpetrator normally use pre recorded webcam footage to disguise their identity while appearing to be genuinely engaged in conversation in order to appear legitimate.The pepetrator will then upload the recorded video of the victim at [YouTube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube "YouTube"), then use it to extort them further by threatening to make it public or direct it to the victims family or friends.
For more information and preventions against the scam is available at our
<https://www.mycert.org.my/portal/advisory?id=MA-367.122013>
**3.0 Mitigations**
MyCERT advise Internet users to be precautious with whom they friend or get to now on Internet. Users need to make sure that while on social networking sites, they must enable and adhere to the security settings provided by the service provider.
For further enquiries, please contact MyCERT through the following channels:
E-mail : [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) or [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection)
Phone : 1-300-88-2999 (monitored during business hours)
Fax : +603 89453442
Handphone : +60 19 2665850 (24x7 call incident reporting)
SMS : CYBER999 REPORT EMAIL COMPLAINT to 15888
Business Hours : Mon - Fri 09:00 AM - 18:00 PM MYT
Web : <https://www.mycert.org.my>
Twitter : <http://www.twitter.com/mycert>
Facebook: <http://www.facebook.com/mycert.org.my>
Cyber999 Mobile Apps:  [IOS Users](https://itunes.apple.com/my/app/cyber999-mobile-application/id888552400?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4) or [Android Users](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=my.cyber999.mobile)
**4.0 References**
4.1 <https://www.mycert.org.my/portal/advisory?id=MA-367.122013>
4.2 <http://www.welivesecurity.com/2014/07/21/sextortion/>