Gmail and Yahoo users issued warning about ignoring emails with even one certain phrase

Gmail warning (Image: GETTY)

UK users of Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook have been issued a stark warning about a new email scam that could prove costly if ignored. Action Fraud has reported a surge in 'extortion scams', with the number of reports skyrocketing from just 133 in February 2025 to a staggering 2,924 in March.

The alarming emails typically claim that hackers have been monitoring the recipient's computer and have evidence of them visiting adult websites. Some victims are even told that there are videos of them, recorded via their webcam while they were browsing.

The message then threatens to release this footage to friends and family unless a ransom is paid.

Adding to the worry, these new scam emails often contain personal information such as genuine passwords or home addresses. Action Fraud believes this information is likely obtained from historic data breaches.

One victim shared his experience, revealing he had received an extortion email demanding a payment of $500. Recognising it as a scam, he deleted the emails, reports the Mirror.

However, he soon discovered he was unable to access one of his social media accounts. Upon further investigation, he found that one of his bank accounts and several social media accounts had been hacked, leaving him locked out.

Detective Chief Inspector Hayley King, Head of Prevention at the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, has issued a stark warning about sophisticated extortion scams: "Criminals will go to great lengths to make these types of extortion scams more convincing, including using a leaked password or home address in the phishing email to make it seem genuine."

She advises those targeted by such scams: "Follow our advice if you think you've received one of these phishing emails: forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk and delete the email after that. If you spot genuine personal information in an email, it is likely it came from an historic data breach – you can check if you've been affected by one in the past."

King also urges victims to take action: "Please contact your local police force if you have been a victim of extortion. Even if you have concerns someone may possess of intimate images of you, you should tell the police by calling 101."

Action Fraud emphasises the importance of not engaging with phishers and instead forwarding any suspicious emails to report@phishing. gov.

uk.

They also highlight that the presence of actual personal details within phishing emails often signals that the recipient's data may have been compromised in a previous data breach.

Users are reminded to change their passwords immediately if they recognise any current passwords mentioned in a phishing attempt.