Dozens being confronted by online extortion scams: N.S. RCMP

RCMP say they’ve received more than 60 complaints in the past year of Nova Scotians being confronted with online extortion scams.

Police say people have been receiving pop-up messages on their computers telling them they’ve accessed an inappropriate website, or that there are inappropriate images on their computer — pornography, violence, terrorism, etc.

They are then told their computer’s Internet Protocol (IP) address was recorded and they will need to pay to unlock their computer. They are told to pay via Bitcoin, Ukash, PaySafe Card or another payment form.

Police say the messages also falsely appear to be from the RCMP, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) or other legitimate organizations.

The RCMP is giving tips to users so they can protect themselves from these scams:

• Never click on a pop-up that claims your computer has a virus.
• Avoid opening e-mails and attachments from unknown sources, especially .zip files.
• Never send money to “unlock” a computer.
• Ensure your anti-virus software is active and up-to-date, and regularly schedule scans to search and remove already existing malware.
• Keep your operating system and software up to date.
• Make regular backups of important files.

For more information, or to report a scam, people can visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.