PETALING JAYA: Student Angel Wang was surfing the Internet, catching up with friends on Facebook, when she suddenly received a message from an unknown account demanding US$3,000 (RM10,087). It warned that should she fail to comply, her nude photos would be released.

“Pay up US$3,000 or I’ll add your friends to this account,” said the message.

Wang said that the Facebook user had already uploaded blurred photos of webcam shots of her to his page.

“The blackmailer told me I had two weeks to comply or he would expose the photos,” she said in an interview. “He claimed that he also had my roommate’s photos. I felt scared and helpless.

Wang quickly informed her dormmate, who helped her lodge a police report.

“The police told me that they would update me and asked me to reformat my laptop,” said Wang.

“The next day, the blackmailer began messaging me again from another account, this one using my real name, which I never use online.

“He also said that he was starting to add my friends.”

Wang said she informed the IT security department that the university’s WiFi might have been compromised. She also told her friends and family about what had happened.

“Why should I be ashamed? It’s not my fault. I didn’t pose for the photos.

“Someone took webcam photos of me without me knowing and invaded my privacy.

“I finally contacted a friend of a friend, who happened to be a skilled hacker. He cleaned up my computer for me and found a Trojan.”

The hacker then sent Wang’s blackmailer a Trojan virus in return, which wiped clean any data, including the photos.

Wang said she was now much more careful when it came to computer safety.

Dr Khairul Azril, 48, said he was also blackmailed with exposing nude images after chatting on Skype with a “pretty girl”.

He said although he had been thrilled when the girl suggested that they have virtual sex in the buff, his excitement turned to dismay when he found out that she did not exist.

“A man began threatening to release a compromising video of myself to friends, co-workers and family,” he said.

“I refused to pay up and lodged a report with the police. They told me that it was the work of an international syndicate,” he said.

The scammers, he said, seemed to be experts at profiling.

“They must be going after CEOs, doctors, accountants and even politicians,” he said.

“They target those who have money and status, thinking it will be easier to blackmail them.”-thestar