Why that scammer who claims to have your search history probably doesn’t

In these scams, someone tells a victim that they have access to embarrassing search history or compromising photos. The scammers then ask for money or release it to family and friends. They’re almost always bluffing, police say.

Inducing fear and an element of time are some of the most common tactics scammers use to get victims to quickly hand over large sums of money before anyone realizes they’ve been duped.

“Scammers want you to act before you have time to think,” says the FTC. “It might say that your computer is about to be corrupted. They may also tell you to keep the conversation secret from your friends and family.”

These types of email sextortion scams first appeared in 2020, when there was an increase in people reporting that someone had hacked into their computers and recorded them accessing adult websites, said the FTC.

The FTC says these emails typically reach victims after their personal information is leaked in a data breach. This means that scammers can have access to your email and even some of your current or previous passwords, but they don’t have access to your computer or your search history.

“Scammers may say they have access to your computer or webcam or have installed clever software to defeat you. That’s it,” says the FTC.

Some scammers in Maryland have even included images of the victim’s home on Google Maps in their threats to make them appear legitimate, police said.

Maryland State Police say to be wary of any “unsolicited” email you receive in your Gmail account to avoid falling victim to a scam. The department says not to share personal information online and to be careful when clicking on links, even if they look legitimate.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Maryland scam.