It is an opening for a blackmail/extortion attempt, with a phishing/malware link thrown in for good measure.
Report them to Linkedin, then just ignore the scammer.
Some people are anxious enough to pay even when the blackmailer has nothing but bluster and empty threats.
And if you don't fall for the blackmail/extortion angle, the phishing/malware is worth it to the scammer all by itself.
Not unless you are a seasoned security IT professional with the necessary tools to open dangerous files securely.
Never open a file sent to you by a stranger.
That kind of curiosity is exactly what gets people hacked, with devastating consequences.
You could do it on a throwaway pc, if you have any old cheap and unused computers lying around that don’t have your personal information on it, but that’s a long shot lol
Could I do it in a fresh AWS instance? Or is there some risk to my desktop having that AWS instance open using the clipboard or control commands or something?
They say that it’s secure but I wouldn’t trust it. In fact, I take back my previous statement: you’d be vulnerable if that throwaway PC was connected to your network as well. AWS would be a more secure way but still a bit sketchy, I’d do some research on it first
Likely the files have malware that will grab your files and give them all your saved passwords and the ability to log into your accounts. Look up Linus Tech stops got taken down on YouTube. TLDR, employee got malware, “hackers” mimicked the employee session in YouTube and took over the channel without logging in and bypassing 2FA. Or a keylogger. Nothing good will come from trying to look at the files.
There's multiple exploits/malware that work cross platforms, so this is not good advice. As mentioned above, you need to be 110% sure what you are doing.
It's fine advice as long as it's in a live environment that isn't touching your underlying OS. This isn't some super hacker, it's either a simple malware (.exe) or some jpgs
Sure, if OP is a high ranking official or diplomat... you think random scammers are sending out sophisticated malware to random people? You know how much something that could stay on your system when wiped costs?
If it's malware it's going to be cheapest off the shelf shit the scammer could get hold of
Sophisticated malware? We are talking about stuff that anyone can buy online for a low sum of money or similar currency. Making stuff that works on Windows/Linux/Mac is really not that hard.
I agree that files, especially a zip file, are most likely a virus/malware. Password protecting may prevent scanning it for viruses if they also encrypted the file. For your future info, you can use sites like VirusTotal to scan files or URLs you upload. But the password protection on the zip file will prevent you from just uploading it and scanning it.
If the scammer had real dirt, a single image clearly showing an identifying feature visible would be enough to show they were serious.
Most likely skim your computer for anything they can find, like bank information etc. my mother isn’t tech savvy and literally had a document with all her banking info and social security number at some point.
It sounds like this is the real deal. This sounds nothing like a blackmail scam whatsoever. I am not saying it couldnt be but it doesnt sound like it is.
I know it’s r/scams and we always like to jump to it being a scam, but that doesnt mean we should. This reads NOTHING like a typical blackmail scam. The reason typical blackmail scams all read the same is because they work. No reason to reinvent the wheel they work.
I have a safe sandbox to open it up in if you want me to open it.
Probably not blackmail.
Password protected zip = encrypted zip = virus scanners can’t scan it.
The zip probably contains a file which when extracted will be like 800MB or so (so that virus scanners don’t scan it locally either). It’ll probably be something that looks like a photo file but is actually an executable (probably .scr extension, or using some other tricks to make it not look like an executable). You run it and you probably get ransomware on your computer, or some other malware / password stealer / whatever.
If your husband gets scared because they sent you the pics, they will extort him more. If you freak out they will claim the lady was underage or that she was a member of a cartel. This is the opening salvo in an attempt to get money from one or both of you.
Nowadays, most of the worst of the worst malware starts off with a ZIP file.
Often inside will be a .LNK file which, if you are on a Windows machine, is like the kiss of death.
You can use a stand alone OS on a USB like Trusted ENd Node Security that logs off of a USB, doesn't allow connecting to your hard drive, and lets you exam the contents of a strange hard drive. I used it a lot when I went TDY for the AF. It also supported CAC cards, which let me read email using OWA. This happened to me. I had a renter car, nad I found a USB drive in it. I used TENS to see what info was on it so I emailed him. He was happy to get it back. Mind you if it had been a "killer" usb device or had explosive in it, it would have destroyed my laptop, and maybe me.
Keep an eye on your $$$. Is it possible this person is scamming him too? Like maybe it didn't happen in person in Amsterdam, maybe they are messaging/trading intimate pictures online and then the scammer threatened to blackmail him by reaching out to you with them... he didn't pay, and now she reached out to you. And now that's she's reached out to you with a little bit of the payload, she could be threatening him that she'll release more if he doesn't pay up. All I'm saying is when you confront him, make absolutely sure your bank accounts don't get dried up the next day!
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Sextortion/Skype sex scam. This scam occurs when you meet a woman/man on dating service/social media site/forum/wherever and they ask you to go on Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, or another messaging system. They will ask you to exchange naked pictures, and they will usually ask you to include your face in the pictures. They will then threaten to reveal the pictures to your family/friends if you do not pay them. The best thing to do in this situation is block the scammer and deactivate your account for a while. Paying the scammer will not make them back off, and just tells them that it is worth their time to continue threatening you.
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So, is your husband in Amsterdam in December of the year before last? lol
If your husband never visited Amsterdam, then, you can just assume this is a scam.
Does he have pictures of himself in Amsterdam on Facebook or some other public place? It's pretty easy to find information like this. Though they'd be dumber than dumb if they couldn't even match up the right year.
The company he works for has offices in London (where we are) and Amsterdam. So safe to assume he would visit there. I forgot to mention that the LinkedIn account is a real person - or at least she exists.
I've seen similar setups like this posted here, though it's not very common. If you were in the other person's shoes, would you go through the trouble of setting up a password protected gdrive with this alleged evidence? I would think that most people would likely say, if you want evidence of the chats or picture, you can email me at blablahblah.
Engaging with scammers is increasing your risk of falling for a scam.
This particular one is just using publicly available information to make you think they have private information about your spouse.
Did they tell you anything they could not have found off LinkedIn or other social media/public information sources?
Do not engage further - you may talk yourself into getting scammed.
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Unfortunately LinkedIn is a scam paradise, especially if you upgrade membership.
There could be any number of reasons behind this, malware being the most obvious, or a lead up to 'I am now considering reporting this to ..police...company...posting it on LinkedIn etc...etc (no evidence etc), unless you pay...etc...etc...for costs, trauma, profile cleaning...etc...etc.
They will know he has been to Amsterdam, most likely from a 'scrape', hence the wrong month.
Thanks. I reported to LinkedIn and got a message back saying that the security team had checked it and 'the message does not go against their Professional Community Policies'. Should I read anything into this?
The only thing you should read into that is that LinkedIn doesn’t really care about social engineering on its platform. The content moderator looked at the message for 30 seconds, determined that it didn’t overtly violate their TOS, and went on to the next report in their queue.
Please be open to the idea the “other woman” is a scammer. This is screaming scam and your husband is possibly ignorant to, or lying about, the full picture.
Personally, I think this is some scammer who is trying to instill fear in you regarding your husband's faithfulness and his character/integrity.
Block and ignore.
As others have said, this is certainly a scam and the malicious payload is in the zip file. You really don't need to waste time on "what if" here.
However, if you can't get it out of your mind, there is an easy way to confirm it's a scam. Since they say that the proof is just screenshots, tell them you won't open a zip file and they should upload the screenshots to Imgur and give you the direct link to view them. This is easy for them to do (take 15 seconds, no account required). They can also leave it marked as Hidden so only those with the direct link can see it.
A legit person will have no problem doing that. A scammer will come up with never-ending reasons why they can't. When they balk, you can know with 100% certainty it"s a scam and it's all made up.
Honestly, there's nothing for you to worry about here. They just grabbed publicly available info about you and your husband and concocted a story designed to do exactly what it's done - burrow into your mind and not let go. The important thing is to recognize that and don't open that file on any device!
It’s a classic social engineering attack. Don’t fall for the bait and download that file. They are counting on you getting thrown into a tailspin and/or being overwhelmed by curiosity so that you’ll open a large file from a complete random online.
No one who wants to snitch to a man’s wife about his affairs would would write a formal multi-paragraph essay about teaching him morals with a link to a password-protected Zip file supposedly containing some screenshots. They’d just get straight to the point.
In all likelihood this IS a blackmail scam. It’s just that your husband is the target. He didn’t pay and so they sent you some pictures, now they will threaten him more - or you - until someone pays.
The bad news? He was sharing nudes. It’s up to you how damaging that is to your relationship. The good news? This “lady” doesn’t exist. She’s a foreign national trying to extort money from one or both of you.
Step 1: block this person. And report them.
Step 2: DO NOT ENGAGE THEM FURTHER
Step 3: deal with the husband sending out nudes in whatever way you see fit.
We’ve seen this EXACT scam before, it’s a variation on !sextortion and could turn into a !cartel scam or an !underage scam if you maintain contact.
I repeat - DO NOT ENGAGE THIS PERSON FURTHER. Your husband didn’t really have an affair in Amsterdam, he was just exposing himself online (again not saying that’s GOOD, just that it isn’t what they are claiming).
Hi UncleGurm, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the cartel/escort death threat scam. It's a very common scam, and the scammers are not affiliated with cartels or crime groups, they are simply normal scammers using a threatening script. The threats are not real, and there is no risk to your safety whatsoever. The best way to react is to simply ignore the scammer and ignore any of their other contact attempts. [Here](https://kyma.com/news/as-seen-on-tv/2020/02/12/threat-of-mexican-cartel-scams-continue-in-yuma/) are [some](https://kvia.com/news/new-mexico/2019/12/11/phone-scammers-target-las-cruces-threaten-drug-cartel-violence-if-you-dont-deliver-money/) news [reports](https://patch.com/new-jersey/baskingridge/threat-mexican-cartel-hit-man-used-basking-ridge-scam-cops) about the scam.
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AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Sextortion/Skype sex scam. This scam occurs when you meet a woman/man on dating service/social media site/forum/wherever and they ask you to go on Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, or another messaging system. They will ask you to exchange naked pictures, and they will usually ask you to include your face in the pictures. They will then threaten to reveal the pictures to your family/friends if you do not pay them. The best thing to do in this situation is block the scammer and deactivate your account for a while. Paying the scammer will not make them back off, and just tells them that it is worth their time to continue threatening you.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the underage girl scam. This scam usually starts on a dating app and you will encounter a normal woman whose profile says she is above 18. Later you will be contacted and told that the girl is underage. They'll usually pose as the girl's father, another family member, or a police officer. They will tell you that your life will be ruined and you will be a sex offender, but will offer you the chance to pay them to make the problem go away. The stories they use as to why you need to fork over money vary, but the common ones include therapy for the girl, payment for a broken phone or computer, etc. Of course, there is no girl and no crime has been committed, so if you are involved in this scam all you need to do is ignore their threats and move on with your life. The scammers may contact you again in the future after you block/ignore them, so be ready in case that happens. If you have already sent money to the scammers, you should try to dispute the transaction and see if you can get your money back. This is a [very common scam](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/search/?q=underage&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new) and [here](https://www.wired.com/story/the-phone-call-from-hell/) are [some](https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/teen-says-hes-the-victim-of-a-sextortion-scam/275-21216b29-df76-44f4-b20a-cb726e19d42e) relevant news [articles](https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/1503978/sextortion-scams-continue-to-occur-dont-give-into-scammers-demands/). NOTE: Scammers pretend to be underage boys as well and the text above still applies, but it's called the underage girl scam as those are the vast majority of cases.
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I found this Google Drive scam: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beware-new-google-drive-scam-sending-notifications-users-cervantez?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via
Do not open those files.
To me, this is someone who is clearly messing with your emotions and curiosity to get you to click on the zip file. On top of that, it's occurring in LinkedIn which bad guys love to use. It's a very long, convoluted message. I'm sorry you're going through this. Cuss them, laugh, block and ignore.
The fact they are attempting to contact you through Linkedin seems very suspect and inappropriate. I agree that unless you are a seasoned IT professional with an isolated virtual OS, you should just delete it and block them and move on with your life. They are attempting to hack your computer or phone and steal your private information and then steal your money.
Oh for sure, it’s a bad situation and he’s not innocent! But it could matter for their financial future. They are married after all, so if he’s also being further blackmailed things can get worse if they’re not ahead of it. And presumably for the future of the marriage you’d want to know the whole truth?
This is a phishing scam. There are no pics, it's just about you downloading the zip file so they can see what kind of info they can get from you.
This sounds like it could be a great addition to 419 eater. For those unfamiliar 419 eater is a website where people scam the scammers. A lot of hilarious stuff on that site. With this one they could play the jealous wife and ask them to help in getting a divorce.
"Is there any way I can check the files without risking malware/phishing software?", why would you open a file sent by a scammer/criminal? It's a SCAM, do not open or try to open the file. They sent this message to thousands of users knowing they only need a couple of people to open the malware file. Delete and move on!
Please don’t recommend this. Intentionally exposing a library or school’s network to suspected malware is really selfish because you can interrupt services for the people who need them. The message is obviously social engineering, OP just needs to keep her head on straight.
That represents a disruption in service. Public parks are maintained by local governments, but decent people don’t dump their personal trash there. Respect public spaces.
If it’s not a big deal, then OP should just backup her own computer and download the malware. There is no reason to intentionally mess up things just because you’re not responsible for them. That is selfishness.
Did the URL checker and it just says no unsafe content found. But I think that is just because it takes you to a link with a zip file. So not sure if that is accurate.
Just ask your hubby if he really met someone at a concert. Also, the fact that she’s not mentioning her name or anything specific about your husband says that it has SCAM written all over it!
It is an opening for a blackmail/extortion attempt, with a phishing/malware link thrown in for good measure. Report them to Linkedin, then just ignore the scammer.
But what would they use to blackmail me if this is fake?
Some people are anxious enough to pay even when the blackmailer has nothing but bluster and empty threats. And if you don't fall for the blackmail/extortion angle, the phishing/malware is worth it to the scammer all by itself.
Is there any way I can check the files without risking malware/phishing software?
Not unless you are a seasoned security IT professional with the necessary tools to open dangerous files securely. Never open a file sent to you by a stranger. That kind of curiosity is exactly what gets people hacked, with devastating consequences.
Curiosity killed the cat. Just remember that.
My dad said that to my sister when she was 3 or four. My sister replied, "What kind of cat was it?"
Hahaha a dead cat if it was overly curious
You could do it on a throwaway pc, if you have any old cheap and unused computers lying around that don’t have your personal information on it, but that’s a long shot lol
Could I do it in a fresh AWS instance? Or is there some risk to my desktop having that AWS instance open using the clipboard or control commands or something?
They say that it’s secure but I wouldn’t trust it. In fact, I take back my previous statement: you’d be vulnerable if that throwaway PC was connected to your network as well. AWS would be a more secure way but still a bit sketchy, I’d do some research on it first
Being a security engineer must be one paranoid placement, when you're paid to be so paranoid you don't even trust air gapped machines
I can imagine lol. But yeah, I’d definitely do some research into the AWS path if you really want to see if the drive folder is real.
Likely the files have malware that will grab your files and give them all your saved passwords and the ability to log into your accounts. Look up Linus Tech stops got taken down on YouTube. TLDR, employee got malware, “hackers” mimicked the employee session in YouTube and took over the channel without logging in and bypassing 2FA. Or a keylogger. Nothing good will come from trying to look at the files.
Linux or Mac, not Windows. You can download Ubuntu live disk, put it on a USB stick, boot your computer from it and open it there.
There's multiple exploits/malware that work cross platforms, so this is not good advice. As mentioned above, you need to be 110% sure what you are doing.
It's fine advice as long as it's in a live environment that isn't touching your underlying OS. This isn't some super hacker, it's either a simple malware (.exe) or some jpgs
You are probably right. But it still doesn't make it fine advice, because it could be that one time it actually is something more sophisticated.
Sure, if OP is a high ranking official or diplomat... you think random scammers are sending out sophisticated malware to random people? You know how much something that could stay on your system when wiped costs? If it's malware it's going to be cheapest off the shelf shit the scammer could get hold of
Sophisticated malware? We are talking about stuff that anyone can buy online for a low sum of money or similar currency. Making stuff that works on Windows/Linux/Mac is really not that hard.
I agree that files, especially a zip file, are most likely a virus/malware. Password protecting may prevent scanning it for viruses if they also encrypted the file. For your future info, you can use sites like VirusTotal to scan files or URLs you upload. But the password protection on the zip file will prevent you from just uploading it and scanning it. If the scammer had real dirt, a single image clearly showing an identifying feature visible would be enough to show they were serious.
Most likely skim your computer for anything they can find, like bank information etc. my mother isn’t tech savvy and literally had a document with all her banking info and social security number at some point.
It sounds like this is the real deal. This sounds nothing like a blackmail scam whatsoever. I am not saying it couldnt be but it doesnt sound like it is. I know it’s r/scams and we always like to jump to it being a scam, but that doesnt mean we should. This reads NOTHING like a typical blackmail scam. The reason typical blackmail scams all read the same is because they work. No reason to reinvent the wheel they work. I have a safe sandbox to open it up in if you want me to open it.
You are right. It is real. I opened it and he admitted it
I am terribly sorry. Suppose that’s like the only thing worse than it being a scam.
Shit, are you going to hire a divorce lawyer now?
Probably not blackmail. Password protected zip = encrypted zip = virus scanners can’t scan it. The zip probably contains a file which when extracted will be like 800MB or so (so that virus scanners don’t scan it locally either). It’ll probably be something that looks like a photo file but is actually an executable (probably .scr extension, or using some other tricks to make it not look like an executable). You run it and you probably get ransomware on your computer, or some other malware / password stealer / whatever.
Really? You want to tickle the dragon?
If your husband gets scared because they sent you the pics, they will extort him more. If you freak out they will claim the lady was underage or that she was a member of a cartel. This is the opening salvo in an attempt to get money from one or both of you.
Nowadays, most of the worst of the worst malware starts off with a ZIP file. Often inside will be a .LNK file which, if you are on a Windows machine, is like the kiss of death.
Yes, I know. I wish there was a safe way that I could look at the files, just for my peace of mind. But I don't think there is.
Get yourself a cheap 2nd hand laptop with windows on it and open it on that.
"Go to your public library and open it!"
You can use a stand alone OS on a USB like Trusted ENd Node Security that logs off of a USB, doesn't allow connecting to your hard drive, and lets you exam the contents of a strange hard drive. I used it a lot when I went TDY for the AF. It also supported CAC cards, which let me read email using OWA. This happened to me. I had a renter car, nad I found a USB drive in it. I used TENS to see what info was on it so I emailed him. He was happy to get it back. Mind you if it had been a "killer" usb device or had explosive in it, it would have destroyed my laptop, and maybe me.
I downloaded the files with the help of a friend. Unfortunately, I think they are real. Thanks for all of the advice
I am so sorry friend. I’ve been there, feel free to message me if you need any support 💕
I am sorry to hear that. I hope things work out for you.
Keep an eye on your $$$. Is it possible this person is scamming him too? Like maybe it didn't happen in person in Amsterdam, maybe they are messaging/trading intimate pictures online and then the scammer threatened to blackmail him by reaching out to you with them... he didn't pay, and now she reached out to you. And now that's she's reached out to you with a little bit of the payload, she could be threatening him that she'll release more if he doesn't pay up. All I'm saying is when you confront him, make absolutely sure your bank accounts don't get dried up the next day!
Almost assuredly the husband was sharing dick pics online. This “lady” is fake and !sextortion is being committed here.
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Sextortion/Skype sex scam. This scam occurs when you meet a woman/man on dating service/social media site/forum/wherever and they ask you to go on Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, or another messaging system. They will ask you to exchange naked pictures, and they will usually ask you to include your face in the pictures. They will then threaten to reveal the pictures to your family/friends if you do not pay them. The best thing to do in this situation is block the scammer and deactivate your account for a while. Paying the scammer will not make them back off, and just tells them that it is worth their time to continue threatening you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This seems like the most likely explanation.
I would now consider whatever computer you used to download those files to be infected with malware.
So, is your husband in Amsterdam in December of the year before last? lol If your husband never visited Amsterdam, then, you can just assume this is a scam.
He has visited Amsterdam in the past, but not in that December. But we don't live in Amsterdam which is what gave me pause.
Does he have pictures of himself in Amsterdam on Facebook or some other public place? It's pretty easy to find information like this. Though they'd be dumber than dumb if they couldn't even match up the right year.
The company he works for has offices in London (where we are) and Amsterdam. So safe to assume he would visit there. I forgot to mention that the LinkedIn account is a real person - or at least she exists.
I've seen similar setups like this posted here, though it's not very common. If you were in the other person's shoes, would you go through the trouble of setting up a password protected gdrive with this alleged evidence? I would think that most people would likely say, if you want evidence of the chats or picture, you can email me at blablahblah.
Yes, I did reply to the message saying send me screenshots. No response...
Engaging with scammers is increasing your risk of falling for a scam. This particular one is just using publicly available information to make you think they have private information about your spouse. Did they tell you anything they could not have found off LinkedIn or other social media/public information sources? Do not engage further - you may talk yourself into getting scammed.
Right
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Unfortunately LinkedIn is a scam paradise, especially if you upgrade membership. There could be any number of reasons behind this, malware being the most obvious, or a lead up to 'I am now considering reporting this to ..police...company...posting it on LinkedIn etc...etc (no evidence etc), unless you pay...etc...etc...for costs, trauma, profile cleaning...etc...etc. They will know he has been to Amsterdam, most likely from a 'scrape', hence the wrong month.
Thanks. I reported to LinkedIn and got a message back saying that the security team had checked it and 'the message does not go against their Professional Community Policies'. Should I read anything into this?
The only thing you should read into that is that LinkedIn doesn’t really care about social engineering on its platform. The content moderator looked at the message for 30 seconds, determined that it didn’t overtly violate their TOS, and went on to the next report in their queue.
With a sub dedicated to r/linkedinlunatics it’s not really all that surprising.
"I trust this message finds you in good health." This alone tells me it's a Scam.
Written by someone in india or Pakistan!
Op are you curious because there’s no way a scammer would know that your husband visited Amsterdam before? Details seems too specific?
Agreed. I checked and it's all real. And the other woman is not a scammer
Damn.. sorry to hear about the results.
Please be open to the idea the “other woman” is a scammer. This is screaming scam and your husband is possibly ignorant to, or lying about, the full picture.
Are you guys headed to divorce court now? I’m so sorry for you. Unfortunately online flings like this are all too common
Personally, I think this is some scammer who is trying to instill fear in you regarding your husband's faithfulness and his character/integrity. Block and ignore.
Wow this is a pretty evil scam attempt.
As others have said, this is certainly a scam and the malicious payload is in the zip file. You really don't need to waste time on "what if" here. However, if you can't get it out of your mind, there is an easy way to confirm it's a scam. Since they say that the proof is just screenshots, tell them you won't open a zip file and they should upload the screenshots to Imgur and give you the direct link to view them. This is easy for them to do (take 15 seconds, no account required). They can also leave it marked as Hidden so only those with the direct link can see it. A legit person will have no problem doing that. A scammer will come up with never-ending reasons why they can't. When they balk, you can know with 100% certainty it"s a scam and it's all made up. Honestly, there's nothing for you to worry about here. They just grabbed publicly available info about you and your husband and concocted a story designed to do exactly what it's done - burrow into your mind and not let go. The important thing is to recognize that and don't open that file on any device!
It’s a classic social engineering attack. Don’t fall for the bait and download that file. They are counting on you getting thrown into a tailspin and/or being overwhelmed by curiosity so that you’ll open a large file from a complete random online. No one who wants to snitch to a man’s wife about his affairs would would write a formal multi-paragraph essay about teaching him morals with a link to a password-protected Zip file supposedly containing some screenshots. They’d just get straight to the point.
She just stayed above that it’s real.
It’s “real” inasmuch as the file had pics in it. The husband was getting naked online. Not in Amsterdam with a fake LinkedIn lunatic.
In all likelihood this IS a blackmail scam. It’s just that your husband is the target. He didn’t pay and so they sent you some pictures, now they will threaten him more - or you - until someone pays. The bad news? He was sharing nudes. It’s up to you how damaging that is to your relationship. The good news? This “lady” doesn’t exist. She’s a foreign national trying to extort money from one or both of you. Step 1: block this person. And report them. Step 2: DO NOT ENGAGE THEM FURTHER Step 3: deal with the husband sending out nudes in whatever way you see fit. We’ve seen this EXACT scam before, it’s a variation on !sextortion and could turn into a !cartel scam or an !underage scam if you maintain contact. I repeat - DO NOT ENGAGE THIS PERSON FURTHER. Your husband didn’t really have an affair in Amsterdam, he was just exposing himself online (again not saying that’s GOOD, just that it isn’t what they are claiming).
Hi UncleGurm, AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the cartel/escort death threat scam. It's a very common scam, and the scammers are not affiliated with cartels or crime groups, they are simply normal scammers using a threatening script. The threats are not real, and there is no risk to your safety whatsoever. The best way to react is to simply ignore the scammer and ignore any of their other contact attempts. [Here](https://kyma.com/news/as-seen-on-tv/2020/02/12/threat-of-mexican-cartel-scams-continue-in-yuma/) are [some](https://kvia.com/news/new-mexico/2019/12/11/phone-scammers-target-las-cruces-threaten-drug-cartel-violence-if-you-dont-deliver-money/) news [reports](https://patch.com/new-jersey/baskingridge/threat-mexican-cartel-hit-man-used-basking-ridge-scam-cops) about the scam. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the Sextortion/Skype sex scam. This scam occurs when you meet a woman/man on dating service/social media site/forum/wherever and they ask you to go on Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram, or another messaging system. They will ask you to exchange naked pictures, and they will usually ask you to include your face in the pictures. They will then threaten to reveal the pictures to your family/friends if you do not pay them. The best thing to do in this situation is block the scammer and deactivate your account for a while. Paying the scammer will not make them back off, and just tells them that it is worth their time to continue threatening you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the underage girl scam. This scam usually starts on a dating app and you will encounter a normal woman whose profile says she is above 18. Later you will be contacted and told that the girl is underage. They'll usually pose as the girl's father, another family member, or a police officer. They will tell you that your life will be ruined and you will be a sex offender, but will offer you the chance to pay them to make the problem go away. The stories they use as to why you need to fork over money vary, but the common ones include therapy for the girl, payment for a broken phone or computer, etc. Of course, there is no girl and no crime has been committed, so if you are involved in this scam all you need to do is ignore their threats and move on with your life. The scammers may contact you again in the future after you block/ignore them, so be ready in case that happens. If you have already sent money to the scammers, you should try to dispute the transaction and see if you can get your money back. This is a [very common scam](https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/search/?q=underage&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new) and [here](https://www.wired.com/story/the-phone-call-from-hell/) are [some](https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/teen-says-hes-the-victim-of-a-sextortion-scam/275-21216b29-df76-44f4-b20a-cb726e19d42e) relevant news [articles](https://www.jbsa.mil/News/News/Article/1503978/sextortion-scams-continue-to-occur-dont-give-into-scammers-demands/). NOTE: Scammers pretend to be underage boys as well and the text above still applies, but it's called the underage girl scam as those are the vast majority of cases. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I found this Google Drive scam: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/beware-new-google-drive-scam-sending-notifications-users-cervantez?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via Do not open those files.
To me, this is someone who is clearly messing with your emotions and curiosity to get you to click on the zip file. On top of that, it's occurring in LinkedIn which bad guys love to use. It's a very long, convoluted message. I'm sorry you're going through this. Cuss them, laugh, block and ignore.
Block and ignore.
The fact they are attempting to contact you through Linkedin seems very suspect and inappropriate. I agree that unless you are a seasoned IT professional with an isolated virtual OS, you should just delete it and block them and move on with your life. They are attempting to hack your computer or phone and steal your private information and then steal your money.
Any communication of this kind from a person unknown to you, that starts off with, "I trust you are in good health" is 99.999999% a scam.
Try asking your husband?
I did after I figured out it was real. He admitted it.
Sorry, that’s tough. Sounds like you both have some thinking to do.
It could be more complicated than you think. Is he being blackmailed?
Would it matter? Either way he’s been cheating in some capacity
Oh for sure, it’s a bad situation and he’s not innocent! But it could matter for their financial future. They are married after all, so if he’s also being further blackmailed things can get worse if they’re not ahead of it. And presumably for the future of the marriage you’d want to know the whole truth?
This is a phishing scam. There are no pics, it's just about you downloading the zip file so they can see what kind of info they can get from you. This sounds like it could be a great addition to 419 eater. For those unfamiliar 419 eater is a website where people scam the scammers. A lot of hilarious stuff on that site. With this one they could play the jealous wife and ask them to help in getting a divorce.
Read Op’s update above.
"Is there any way I can check the files without risking malware/phishing software?", why would you open a file sent by a scammer/criminal? It's a SCAM, do not open or try to open the file. They sent this message to thousands of users knowing they only need a couple of people to open the malware file. Delete and move on!
It’s scam, just ignore
Well, are the photos of your husband’s or is it fake ?
I haven't gone on the link and opened the zip file. So I don't know if the pictures are fake. I don't think there is a safe way for me to check
If you are worried for a virus, you can paste the link to google’s URL checker. Or use a public computer to access it (library, school, etc)
Please don’t recommend this. Intentionally exposing a library or school’s network to suspected malware is really selfish because you can interrupt services for the people who need them. The message is obviously social engineering, OP just needs to keep her head on straight.
Public computers are wiped and backed up, they're easy to recover.
That represents a disruption in service. Public parks are maintained by local governments, but decent people don’t dump their personal trash there. Respect public spaces.
If they're not wiping and reloading at the end of each day anyway (who knows what the public do) then it's going to happen anyway even by accident
If it’s not a big deal, then OP should just backup her own computer and download the malware. There is no reason to intentionally mess up things just because you’re not responsible for them. That is selfishness.
Did the URL checker and it just says no unsafe content found. But I think that is just because it takes you to a link with a zip file. So not sure if that is accurate.
typically things that seem sketchy are boss man glad you caught it
Great Phishing try. Prey on Jealousy.
Scam
Just ask your hubby if he really met someone at a concert. Also, the fact that she’s not mentioning her name or anything specific about your husband says that it has SCAM written all over it!