info from Malwarebytes

Extorted: How this sickening scam brings ruinYour child’s been kidnapped. Your nudes have just leaked. Your world is ticking away… unless, of course, you pay up.

Extortion scams are empty threats that, in the moment, jolt you into action. The extortionist’s spell—cast through the phone, in e-mail, or text—turns feeling into believing, and believing into payment, but by the time you catch on, it’s too late.

New Malwarebytes research reveals who is most often harmed in extortion scams, how difficult it is to recover, and why AI could be making everything worse.

Extortion scams are always the fault of the criminals behind them, but there are vital steps for protection.