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I have just received an email with the from address being the same as my own email address but Google has correctly classified it as spam and it went straight to my Spam folder.

The content of the email is quite similar to this. Now, obviously this appears to be a spam email by some scammers who are looking to make a quick buck. The Bitcoin Wallet also appears on the Bitcoin Abuse Database and a lot of people have reported similar emails.

Can someone please confirm that this is just a spam email and that they do not have access to may accounts. I use 2FA for my Gmail account, so there is no way they could have accessed my Gmail account.

If this is not a scam, what could I possibly do to protect my laptop?

Funnily enough, when I received this email I had not changed my Gmail password at all. I have changed it now.

Hi, dear user of gmail.com

We have installed one RAT software into you device For this moment your email account is hacked too. I know your password. I logged in to your account and wrote this letter to you from there.

Changed your password? You're doing great! But my software recognizes every such action. I'm updating passwords! I'm always one step ahead....

So... I have downloaded all confidential information from your system and I got some more evidence. The most interesting moment that I have discovered are videos records where you masturbating.

I posted Spelevo Exploit modification on porn site, and then you installed my malicious code (trojan) on your operation system. When you clicked the button Play on porn video, at that moment my trojan was downloaded to your device. After installation, your front camera shoots video every time you masturbate, in addition, the software is synchronized with the video you choose. For the moment, the software has harvrested all your contact information from social networks and email addresses. If you need to erase all of your collected data and videos, send me $718 in BTC (crypto currency).

This is my Bitcoin wallet: 13yAsTuS6MyjNUYde4EBabTZJFfZBRTZu1

You have 48 hours after reading this letter. After your transaction I will erase all your data. Otherwise, I will send a video with your sweepstakes to all your colleagues, friends and relatives!!!

P.S. I ask you not to reply to this email, this is impossible (the sender's address is your own address). And henceforth be more careful! Please visit only secure sites!

Bye,Bye...

Concerned Gmail User
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No one can verify they DON'T have your accounts, because that in itself would be bad even if us 'good' guys have it. I would strongly speculate it is spam & trying to scare you into doing something. Your wording seems to indicate you believe that as well. It's very easy to spoof an email address. If you are REALLY paranoid you could change passwords for all websites where you use that email address & your old gmail password (that you indicated you changed recently). If they SOMEHOW have your gmail password they can try it at other sites & maybe do harm there (not everywhere). I'd personally ignore it, you could also see if your email & password has been seen in a hacked website database via this site: https://haveibeenpwned.com/

If you're worried about infections get a reputable antivirus (hereafter AV) & run a full scan, people seem to enjoy malwarebytes for cleaning up infections. A lot of the major AV have (free) offline scanners that boot to a USB or CD that work really well. I had an I.T. tech coworker who said he charged doctors $50+ just to insert a CD which does all the cleaning & hand it back, about 5min of work for him :(

gregg
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