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Natl extortion scam arrives in local area

By Brian Hagen

09/10/2024

(KNZA)--A nationally known extortion scam has made its way to the local area, threatening to make public embarrassing photos of the would be victim if payment is not given.

Known as the Pegasus Spyware Scam, Brown County Sheriff John Merchant says it's being reported locally, with would-be victims targeted both through email and by cellphone.

The way it works is, the scammers name drop the spyware fictitiously as a way to threaen their victim, implying that they have been monitoring and recording them; and, if $2,000 Bitcoin isn't sent, the victim's secrets will be exposed.

Merchant, who says, "scammers are getting more and more devious on the ways to obtain financial support from unsuspecting victims," calls the scam "very cleverly written in order to extort your hard earned money from you," and adds that he is forwarding the related information reported to his office to the Kansas Attorney General.

Another aspect to add believability to the fraudulent claims has not yet been reported locally, but has elsewhere. Internet security website Malwarebytes.com reports that in some cases, the targeted victim is also sent, through cellphone or email, photos of their neighborhoods, obtained through public online sources, and not through online surveillance, as the scammer threatens.

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