(Wired) – When online romance and sextortion scammers sense they’ve found a victim who may send them money, they’ll use all kinds of villainous methods to get paid. They’ll frequently stoop to blackmail—and are constantly creating more devious approaches to incorporate it into their grifts. In recent months, cybercriminals have taken their blackmailing efforts up a notch, creating realistic-looking “news” videos that claim their victims are wanted for crimes.

Scammers based in West Africa, likely in Nigeria, and going under the broad umbrella of the Yahoo Boys, have increasingly been seen sending blackmail victims videos likely using AI-generated news anchors in a bid to pressure victims into paying up. (Read More)