Alert! New Michigan Email Scam: Pictures Of Your Home & Threats

There are some pretty innovative, and convincing, scams out there, and this one is by far the most threatening if you fall for it. A frightening new email scam is making the rounds in Michigan, and it's targeting you right where you feel safest your home, and threatening your reputation.

Imagine opening an email that not only mentions your street address but also includes a photo of your street or even your house. The message starts ominously: “Is visiting [your street address] a more convenient way to contact if you don’t take action? Nice location btw.” Below this line is a snapshot of your residence. Scary right?

A friend of mine actually received the email scam recently. Sure enough, there was a picture of her street, but the photo showed her neighbor's home. The email told her she had 24 hours to pay up, or else their embarrassing videos would be released to all of their contacts, friends, and family members.

These particular scammers grab your attention by saying they have used their hacking skills to compromise your computer and then used your webcam to record a video of you while you were watching porn or doing other compromising acts such as recording yourself or sending pictures. They go as far as to name the software they used, a Spyware program called "Pegasus" adding even more validation to the threat.

The creative scammers know that for many the first instinct is to contact the police or someone to help and they are quick to squash that thought saying:

“Don’t even think about replying to this, it’s pointless. I don’t make mistakes.  If I notice that you’ve shared or discussed this email with someone else, your shitty video will instantly start getting sent to your contacts.”

Sheriff Chris Swanson warns that it's important to keep your guard up and first and foremost, call 911 if you feel it's a scam or you are being threatened.

"Scammers are international and do this full-time. They are EVIL humans who could care less about how hard you and your family have worked. They will take it all and move on to the next", Swanson told us. "Don't let emotion dictate your financial moves. Scammers prey on it."

Stay vigilant and protect your digital privacy, these scammers are banking on fear, but with the right precautions, you can avoid falling victim to their tactics.

You can read the full letter below. (The name and home photo have been removed for privacy)