UPDATE May 10 -- Since I first published this in October of 2018, these scam emails have been coming around again. They are still a scam -- nobody has hacked your computer or has sensitive information on you. But what they do have is your email address and a password that may or may not be valid for some web sites. If you have received one of these emails then you should change your password at any sites that use the password they put in their email.

October, 2018

Today I received a distressing email with the subject: “I’m Crack”. Distressing that is until I realized this was a simple scam to get money. The scammer claims to have hacked your “device” and will send compromising information to everyone on your contacts list unless you pay them. What separates this from other scams is that the email includes your email address and a mostly legitimate password.

The email looks like this...

===================================

Hello!

I’m a hacker who cracked your email and device a few months ago.
You entered a password on one of the sites you visited, and I intercepted it.
This is your password from email@something.com on moment of hack: password

Of course you can will change it, or already changed it.
But it doesn’t matter, my malware updated it every time.

Do not try to contact me or find me, it is impossible, since I sent you an email from your account.

Through your email, I uploaded malicious code to your Operation System.
I saved all of your contacts with friends, colleagues, relatives and a complete history of visits to the Internet resources.
Also I installed a Trojan on your device and long tome spying for you.

You are not my only victim, I usually lock computers and ask for a ransom.
But I was struck by the sites of intimate content that you often visit.

I am in shock of your fantasies! I’ve never seen anything like this!

So, when you had fun on piquant sites (you know what I mean!)
I made screenshot with using my program from your camera of yours device.
After that, I combined them to the content of the currently viewed site.

There will be laughter when I send these photos to your contacts!
BUT I’m sure you don’t want it.

Therefore, I expect payment from you for my silence.
I think $858 is an acceptable price for it!

Pay with Bitcoin.
My BTC wallet: 1YnYAxprVrTo1WzPPzMo86ste5Ssp4xsy

If you do not know how to do this - enter into Google "how to transfer money to a bitcoin wallet". It is not difficult.
After receiving the specified amount, all your data will be immediately destroyed automatically. My virus will also remove itself from your operating system.

My Trojan have auto alert, after this email is read, I will be know it!

I give you 2 days (48 hours) to make a payment.
If this does not happen - all your contacts will get crazy shots from your dark secret life!
And so that you do not obstruct, your device will be blocked (also after 48 hours)

Do not be silly!
Police or friends won’t help you for sure ...

p.s. I can give you advice for the future. Do not enter your passwords on unsafe sites.

I hope for your prudence.
Farewell.

===========================

But the scammer is lying. They have not hacked your device or email. They got your email address and password via one of the many security breaches of large companies that has been all too common lately.

Here’s what you should do:

Do not pay them or respond to them. They have not hacked any of your devices or your email account.
Change the password on any online accounts that use the email address and password they sent you.