Sheriff's Office issues warning after malicious email attempts to blackmail recipient into sending Bitcoin

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office has issued a warning regarding an email blackmail scam.

The Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center has taken several reports regarding an ongoing malicious email campaign that attempts to blackmail the recipient into sending Bitcoin. The sender claims to have infected the e-mail recipients computer with malicious software while the recipient was browsing pornography. The malicious actor claims to have compromising photos or video of the e-mail recipient and threatens to release the media if the actor isn’t paid a certain amount of Bitcoin.

What makes this scam noteworthy is that the malicious actor also provides one or more passwords that the e-mail recipient has used, in an effort to build credibility with the intended victim.

"Hackers are extremely sophisticated and focus on disrupting your life for their own selfish desires. Protect your electronic devices, your personal information and your bank account by never trusting anything that comes through email regarding your personal or financial information. Consult with a professional you trust and contact law enforcement with potential scams," Milwaukee County Sheriff Richard Schmidt said.