LITCHFIELD — Litchfield Police Department has issued a warning to the public about a surge in sextortion email scams targeting individuals with threats of releasing purportedly captured webcam footage.
According to authorities, the scammers allege that they have used malware to obtain compromising videos or photos of the victims through their webcams.
The emails threaten to distribute this content to the victims’ family members unless a ransom, typically demanded in Bitcoin, is paid.
The fraudulent messages may include personal details to intimidate the recipients further, such as their full name or even a Google image of their homes.
The police strongly advise residents never to send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or any other forms of payment to scammers.
They also urge the public to refrain from sending compromising images of themselves to anyone, to avoid opening email attachments from unknown sources, and to exercise caution even with attachments from known contacts.
Additional safety measures recommended include turning off or covering webcams when not in use to prevent unauthorized access.
The Litchfield Police Department is actively informing the community on how to recognize and report such scams, reminding everyone to remain vigilant about their online privacy and security.
