Do they really have a video of me?

In almost all mass-mailed cases, no. It is a bluff. They found your email and an old password in a public database and are using it to scare you.

Should I pay the ransom?

Never. Paying proves you are a 'live' target and they will likely ask for more. Once you pay, the money is gone forever.

What should I do now?

Do not reply. Mark the email as spam. Change any accounts that still use the password mentioned in the email and enable 2FA.

Sextortion Scam Checker

Verify a blackmail threat before you pay a ransom.

Got an email claiming a hacker has 'installed malware' and recorded you through your webcam? In 99% of cases, this is a mass-mailed bluff using a leaked old password to scare you.

Security Insight

Sextortion emails are high-volume spam campaigns. They rely entirely on fear and the shame of the recipient to extort Bitcoin, even though the 'hacker' has no real evidence.

Identifies empty bluffs

Checks for leaked passwords

Confidential risk assessment

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Common Sextortion Tactics

Scammers use psychological pressure to make you think they have total control over your device. Here is how they try to trick you.

The 'Old Password' proof

The email starts with a real password you used years ago (leaked from sites like LinkedIn or Adobe) to 'prove' they have hacked you. It's just a public data breach.

The 'Pegasus Malware' claim

They claim to have used advanced spyware to record 'split-screen' footage of you. This is almost always a lie sent to thousands of people at once.

Urgent 48-hour deadline

They set a strict countdown to prevent you from researching the scam or talking to anyone. This urgency is a classic sign of a fraudulent threat.

Bitcoin only payment

Requests for payment via cryptocurrency are a major signal. Scammers use Bitcoin because it is difficult for law enforcement to trace and reverse.

What IsThisSpam checks before you trust a sender

Quick verdicts are useful, but the real value is understanding why something looks safe, uncertain, or risky.

The email came from your own account

They 'spoof' the sender address to make it look like they have access to your inbox. Checking the email headers usually reveals the true, random sender.

Generic and repetitive language

The email doesn't mention your name or any specific details about you, only generic threats sent to millions of people.

No actual proof provided

They never provide a screenshot or a snippet of the 'video' they claim to have. If they had it, they would show it.

Perfect grammar in a strange context

Many of these emails are professionally written scripts that have been translated into multiple languages and mailed en masse.

Related guides

Use the checker for the fast answer, then read the deeper guidance for recurring scam patterns.

Email Header Analyzer

Check if an email was actually sent from your own account.

Read the guide

Romance Scam Checker

Sometimes sextortion starts with a fake online relationship.

Read the guide

FAQ

These are the questions people usually ask right before they click, reply, or pay.

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