Wives whose husbands who were caught using an adultery website have learned of their partners’ infidelity – in their own blackmail letters from hackers.
The typed notes told the partners of Ashley Madison users they were being targeted because their spouses had refused to pay a £1,420 to keep their identities secret.
The letters, which are being investigated by police, demand even more money, saying that if it is not paid within ten days the couple’s friends and families will also be told about the cheating. Ashley Madison, which helps customers have affairs, including an estimated 1.2million in Britain, was hacked last summer. The details of up to 37million users worldwide were stolen and posted online, and remain relatively easy to obtain.
So far dozens of American women have been targeted, but British couples could be next as the net widens or copycats use the same tactic. It is not known if the letters come from a hacking group or a ‘lone wolf’ blackmailer, but they say: ‘A while back I sent [husband’s name] a letter telling him if he did not send me $2,000 I would reveal his secret to you. Well, he didn’t pay.
‘Either he thought I was bluffing or he decided to man up and tell you the truth. If he told you the truth I can respect that, but you should probably go ahead and prepare your friends and family for the impending communications from me.’
It adds: ‘I told [your husband] that if he didn’t pay I would be telling not only you but others close to you about his misdeeds. I guess your dignity wasn’t worth $2,000 to him.’ The letter says an email will follow supplying a way to confirm the claims, then demands £1,770 in the digital currency Bitcoin or the blackmailer threatens to ‘destroy’ the couple’s lives.
‘The additional money is the penalty for making me ask twice,’ it says.
The website – whose tagline is ‘Life is short. Have an affair’ – was hacked by cyber criminals who called themselves The Impact Team.
In August, the blackmailers released information about users – including the high-flying nature of some of their jobs. – Daily Mail