ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (WHAT THE TECH?) — Law enforcement are issuing warnings about a terrifying email scam that they say is easy for many people to fall for.

The emails involve threats and personal information to make them look legitimate.

The emails claim the scammer stole your passwords and installed spyware that allows them to access your web cam or the camera on your phone. They say they recorded you watching pornographic videos. And if you don’t pay them a ransom in Bitcoin, they’ll send the videos to everyone in your contacts.

According to NordVPN, some targeted victims report the email includes a photo of their house with the threat: “We know where you live.”

The idea is to make this look as real as possible to frighten people to pay and not report it to anyone. Police in five states have issued warnings and reporting that the emails have been received by people in their jurisdictions.

The scammer most likely just took a photo from Google Street View. How did they get your name, email address, and street address? If one of your accounts was compromised in a breach, the information is for sale on the Dark Web.

This terrifying email scam is more elaborate than most, but it is a scam. And it’s no more real than a Hollywood horror movie. Don’t respond to it.

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