The best way to deal with the “Hello pervert” sextortion email scam if you are targeted is as follows:

- Do not reply to the email. Responding confirms to the scammer that your email is active and may lead to more attempts to defraud you.

- Do not pay any ransom. The threats are baseless; scammers do not have any compromising footage or spyware like Pegasus installed on your device. Pegasus spyware is a highly controlled government tool and is not used by everyday scammers.

- If the email includes a password you have used, change that password immediately. This password was likely obtained from a previous data breach, not from hacking your device directly.

- Use a password manager to organize and create strong, unique passwords for all your accounts to prevent future breaches.

- Do not open any attachments or click on any links in the email, especially if the sender's address looks suspicious or even if it appears to be your own.

- Turn off your webcam or use a physical webcam cover for peace of mind, although the claim that scammers have accessed your webcam is false.

- Be aware that scammers may include a photo of your neighborhood or your physical address by finding it online to intimidate you, but this does not mean they have actually hacked your devices.

- Avoid rushing into decisions. Scammers rely on panic to pressure victims into paying quickly.

- Check your digital footprint to see what personal data may have been exposed online. Services like the free Digital Footprint scan can help you identify exposed information.

- Consider using identity protection services to safeguard your personal information and monitor for further risks.

Recognize the scam by these signs: the email starts with “Hello pervert,” accuses you of inappropriate behavior, claims to have footage, mentions Pegasus spyware, includes a known password, and pressures you to pay quickly or face exposure. The message often arrives as an image or PDF to bypass filters[1][2].

Citations: [1] https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/09/hello-pervert-sextortion-scam-includes-new-threat-of-pegasus-and-a-picture-of-your-home [2] https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/09/hello-pervert-sextortion-scam-includes-new-threat-of-pegasus-and-a-picture-of-your-home

— Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share