People who view online pornography sites are being targeted by fraudsters pretending to be members of the Gardai who look to extort money.
The scammers acquire email addresses from adult pornography sites that users have visited, according to cyber security experts. The users then receive an email from the scammers who pretend to be Gardaí, who then demand money from the potential victim.
‘You committed the offense [sic] after being targeted on the internet (advertisement site), viewing video of a child pornography nature; naked photos / videos of minors via the consultation of pornographic site have been recorded by our cyber police and constitute the evidence of your offences,’ the text of the email reads.
‘For the sake of confidentiality, we are sending you this email, you are requested to make it heard by e-mail by writing your justifications so that they are examined and verified in order to assess the sanctions; this within a strict deadline of 72 hours.’
It is then signed off as ‘Cordially, An treo Lárnach Garda Síochána na hÉireann, Done and delivered at July /2022.’
Once the victim responds to the email, they then must pay a sum of money to ‘escape prosecution’ of child pornography offences, according to cyber security experts.
