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Got an email saying I was hacked.

What do I do when i got this email saying I was hacked? They have a list of dirty files that are not mine and say they are going to put this on line if I don't answer thier mail. I need help and the apple store is closed for thier help. I have a MacBook Air.


Posted on May 7, 2020 9:24 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 7, 2020 9:46 AM

First time being lied to?


First time dealing with adverts or articles containing bogus statements?


First time with mail spoofing businesses and even people that you know?


Well, buckle up, it’s really quite common. And it’s getting worse. And you’re a target. Welcome to the club. We are all targets.


I routinely get scam mail purportedly from a friend, too. Though my friend died several years ago. At least that scam is obvious. That particular scam was built from data acquired during a Yahoo breach.


And other scams telling me my (long-since-changed) password—the scammers recovered my password from a web service server breach, and the scammers have also tried my email and that password against every other web service—and now they’re telling me (lying to me) that they have my password and my data and control of my camera. Some claim (lie) to have lewd pictures of me they took using the camera and the password, too; so-called “sextortion” attempts are common. Most of us have had our passwords exposed, too. This is why password re-use is bad. Which services have gotten breached: https://haveibeenpwned.com/


Here’s some quick reading:

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Identify legitimate emails from the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support

See your purchase history for the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support


What to do? Set up two-factor authentication, as it makes it harder to wrest away control of your Apple ID:

Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support


4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 7, 2020 9:46 AM in response to mariannefromlaconia

First time being lied to?


First time dealing with adverts or articles containing bogus statements?


First time with mail spoofing businesses and even people that you know?


Well, buckle up, it’s really quite common. And it’s getting worse. And you’re a target. Welcome to the club. We are all targets.


I routinely get scam mail purportedly from a friend, too. Though my friend died several years ago. At least that scam is obvious. That particular scam was built from data acquired during a Yahoo breach.


And other scams telling me my (long-since-changed) password—the scammers recovered my password from a web service server breach, and the scammers have also tried my email and that password against every other web service—and now they’re telling me (lying to me) that they have my password and my data and control of my camera. Some claim (lie) to have lewd pictures of me they took using the camera and the password, too; so-called “sextortion” attempts are common. Most of us have had our passwords exposed, too. This is why password re-use is bad. Which services have gotten breached: https://haveibeenpwned.com/


Here’s some quick reading:

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

Identify legitimate emails from the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support

See your purchase history for the App Store or iTunes Store - Apple Support


What to do? Set up two-factor authentication, as it makes it harder to wrest away control of your Apple ID:

Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support


Got an email saying I was hacked.

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