There is another scam that has been occurring in central Maine. According to the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, there has been an increase in reports of a scam where the victim receives an email with a photo of their residence and additional personal information easily obtained from public domain searches.
The scammer alleges to have installed malware on the victim’s computer which has allowed access to their browsing history, social media, email and contacts. The scammer claims to have obtained private images which they threaten to send to the victim’s contacts unless a large payment is made via Bitcoin.
From the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office:
While these types of scams may seem alarming, this is a common type of phishing scam using easily accessible information to scare victims into cooperating. The Sheriff’s Office recommends not to reply to the email and do not pay any money to the scammers. If you receive an email and are unsure if it is legitimate, please call the Sheriff’s Office for assistance.
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