FBI Webcam Scam Hits Mayfield Resident

An Internet scam involving the FBI and child pornography accusations found its way to a Mayfield Heights home in April.

According to a Mayfield Heights Police report, a resident called police on April 24 to report that a message from the FBI with its logo suddenly appeared on her laptop screen as she searched for properties on Homes.com. The message said the FBI was "confiscating" her information because the agency believed child pornography was stored on the computer.

The woman said her webcam suddenly turned on and snapped a picture of her. The image then appeared next to the FBI page.

The woman's husband later called the Cleveland FBI to find out if the message actually came from the federal agency. An agent told the man that his wife had been the victim of a scam that had been going around the Web for nearly two years.

An FBI report from August 2012 details the scam. Learn more about it and get protection tips by clicking here.

The FBI first learned about the Reveton virus, used by hackers in conjunction with Citadel malware, in 2011. By August 2012, variants of the virus had become sophisticated to the point that it could control a user's webcam.

The FBI advised the Mayfield family to hire a professional to inspect and clean the laptop.