It has come to my attention that some members are still unaware of this long-running internet scam. It’s been around for at least 10 years, but apparently not everyone knows about it—so I’m writing this.

You may receive an email that appears to be sent from your own address. In the "From" field, you see your own email. The message claims your account was hacked, that spyware was installed on your computer, and that your “shameful” activities on adult sites were recorded. It then demands money (usually in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin), threatening to expose you to your family or colleagues if you don’t pay.

This is a scam. While hacking and spyware are technically possible, real hackers rarely operate this way. If they truly had access, they would likely steal your financial credentials, empty your accounts, or send malicious links to your contacts in an attempt to compromise them as well. Extortion emails like this rely on fear—if they’re asking for money, 99% of the time it’s just a scam.

Seeing your own email address in the “From” field means nothing. That part can be faked. With a mail server (something cheap and easy to set up for under $10/month), you can make the “From” field display anything. This trick is called spoofing. The word sounds technical, but the process is very simple.

Because my own email address is old and was publicly listed on various websites years ago (back when email was often the only contact method), I get a lot of spam—including these scams. Some days I receive 10 or more of them. For me, it’s obvious they’re fake and not signs of a real hack. Now you know too.