Got a blackmail email from someone who calls themself ignaz97.

Here’s the threatening part of the message, along with the extortion ask:

I have access to all your accounts, social networks, email, browsing history.
Accordingly, I have the data of all your contacts, files from your computer, photos and videos.

I was most struck by the intimate content sites that you occasionally visit.
You have a very wild imagination, I tell you!

During your pastime and entertainment there, I took screenshot through the camera of your device, synchronizing with what you are watching.
Oh my god! You are so funny and excited!

I think that you do not want all your contacts to get these files, right?
If you are of the same opinion, then I think that $858 is quite a fair price to destroy the dirt I created.

Send the above amount on my BTC wallet (bitcoin):

Scary thing is, this hacker actually had an old password that our ministry had used for its websites. (The author claimed it was my email password)

It’s easy to see how someone would panic and send money. Here’s my thinking:

• I’m not particularly worried about what this person might have, though if they actually took pictures through my computer’s camera, that would be icky. (I may start covering it, as others do)
• If this person actually had something incriminating, they would have sent a sample.
• If I had something to hide and actually paid this person off, there’s nothing to say that they wouldn’t just turn around and make a larger demand.

Ick, ick, ick. I feel dirty just having received an email like this. Definitely the scummy side of the Internet.

(BTW, when I Google the content of this email, it’s been sent to many people. The inclusion of a real password did make it a bit scarier, though)