A new email scam has emerged, striking fear with threats of leaked personal data and compromising videos unless victims pay up—in Bitcoin. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in the United Kingdom recently issued a stark warning about this latest ploy, originating from an email purportedly sent by a fake lawyer.
The scam emanates from the address “[email protected],” which falsely claims association with reputable law firms Attwaters Solicitors and Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors.
However, the SRA quickly clarified that it does not regulate any lawyer named Patrice Joyce, the alleged sender of these fraudulent emails.
Jyoti Henchie, a legitimate solicitor at Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors, confirmed no involvement with the scam. The SRA underscores that genuine communications from these firms use email domains ending in “.co.uk,” not “.co” as employed by the scammers.
The modus operandi remains consistent: intimidating emails, demands for Bitcoin payments, and threats of reputational harm or financial loss if demands aren’t met swiftly. Victims are lured into clicking links leading to malicious Bitcoin wallets, potentially exposing them to further harm through malware.
This incident underscores a broader trend of email extortion scams leveraging cryptocurrency, notably Bitcoin, for illicit gains. Similar schemes have surfaced in the past, targeting diverse groups—from website owners threatened with Google AdSense account suspensions to individuals falsely accused of engaging in online pornography.
To combat such threats, the SRA advises recipients of suspicious emails to exercise caution. Verifying the authenticity of communication through direct contact with legitimate firms and cross-referencing with regulatory bodies like the SRA can mitigate risks significantly.
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