KUALA LUMPUR: National cybersecurity specialist agency CyberSecurity Malaysia today alerted the public to the dangers of ‘cyber flirts’, saying it is linked to a rising trend in cyber blackmail scams. Victims are targeted via social networking sites such as Facebook, Tagged and online video chat services such as Skype, with the perpetrators believed to be foreign nationals creating a scam hub in various locations including Malaysia. As the victims have thus far been mainly teenage boys and middle aged men, the culprits are suspected to be working with female accomplices. An analysis of the 80 or so reported incidents thus far revealed the modus operandi of a typical cyber blackmail scam: The perpetrator would usually create a profile on a social networking site portraying him or herself as a beautiful Asian woman, where “she” would befriend and flirt with potential victims, and subsequently invite them to intimate video chats with her using Skype.

1. CyberSecurity Malaysia: Beware,
your Cyberfling could turn into a
Blackmail Scam, Dyman &
Associates Risk Management
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KUALA LUMPUR: National cybersecurity specialist agency
CyberSecurity Malaysia today alerted the public to the dangers of ‘cyber
flirts’, saying it is linked to a rising trend in cyber blackmail scams.
Victims are targeted via social networking sites such as Facebook, Tagged
and online video chat services such as Skype, with the perpetrators believed
to be foreign nationals creating a scam hub in various locations including
Malaysia.
As the victims have thus far been mainly teenage boys and middle aged
men, the culprits are suspected to be working with female accomplices.
An analysis of the 80 or so reported incidents thus far revealed the modus
operandi of a typical cyber blackmail scam: The perpetrator would usually

2. create a profile on a social networking site portraying him or herself as a
beautiful Asian woman, where “she” would befriend and flirt with potential
victims, and subsequently invite them to intimate video chats with her
using Skype.
Unbeknownst to the victims however, “she” would then secretly record the
victims during the video chats and blackmail them into remitting sums of
money ranging from RM500 to RM5,000 via Western Union or a third
party bank account. Failure to do so would result in the video footage being
circulated on the Internet.
“Only four incidents of cyber blackmail scams were reported to our
Cyber999 Help Centre in 2012, but by mid-2013 we saw an upward trend,”
said Dr. Amirudin Abdul Wahab, chief executive officer of CyberSecurity
Malaysia.
He added that by the end of 2013 that number had increased exponentially
to 73 cases, leading CyberSecurity Malaysia to believe that there could be
many more unreported incidents.
“Malaysians are advised to be extra careful and not to entertain online
seductions from women whom they got to know only in social media, but
have never really known in person,” stressed Dr. Amirudin.
What to do if you are a victim of such a scam:
· Stop communicating with the perpetrator. Ignore all calls, SMSes or
messages from the perpetrator.
· Remove the perpetrator from all your social media friends or contact lists,
or add her to your list of ‘blocked’ contacts.
· Make all your social networking accounts private so the perpetrator will
not be able to reach you or your friends.
· Keep all relevant data such as chat logs, screenshots, and e-mail messages
as evidence for reporting and prosecution purposes.
· Never pay the scammers as it may further propagate the scam.

3. · Lodge a police report at a nearby police station together with evidence for
further investigations.
· Report the incident(s) to CyberSecurity Malaysia’s Cyber999 Help Centre
for further assistance, either by sending an e-mail to
cyber999@cybersecurity.my or by calling 1-300-88-2999 (monitored
during business hours). In case of an emergency outside regular working
hours, send a text message to 019-266 5850.
CyberSecurity also added general words of advice to Internet
users:
· Be aware that anything you do on the Internet, including video and voice
calls, can be recorded and manipulated for malicious purposes.
· Adhere to best practices, and religious or social ethics, when on social
networking sites and online chat forums.
· Be very cautious who you befriend, and do not feel obligated to fulfill all
requests from other users while online.
· Be alert and suspicious of unusual activities on the Net and immediately
report it to relevant authorities.
· As a preventive measure, configure your Skype account to restrict
communications with only your existing contact list by doing the following:
Go to > Tools > Options > Privacy > Only Allow IMs, Calls etc from People
on my Contact List > SAVE.
· Always make sure your software and systems are up-to-date, and that you
are using up-to-date security software.
· Never use your webcam to video call someone you do not know.