Have you received an email claiming that your computer is infected with the Pegasus malware and that you need to pay up, or else someone will leak details about you? While it may sound scary, don’t worry; while the extortion email claims to be using real-world spyware, it’s all one big scam.

What Is the Pegasus Scam Email?

During the Pegasus scam email, you’ll receive an email from a supposed malicious agent. This person claims they infected your PC with the Pegasus malware because you clicked a bad link at some point. After supposedly infecting you with Pegasus, the scammer claims they used the spyware to keep tabs on your browsing habits. Some examples claim that Pegasus has been installed on your devices for months.

The scammer will state that they’ve caught you doing some salacious things, usually hinting toward catching you browsing a strange or unusual adult genre to make you feel extra ashamed. They will then claim they’ll release both your webcam footage and internet history to your friends and family. Don’t worry; there’s a way to get out of it: just pay an exorbitant amount of money to a cryptocurrency wallet address, and all the evidence will go away.

What Is Pegasus Spyware? Is It Real?

The Pegasus email scam adds a layer of believability by referencing a real strain of malware. ThePegasus spywareis a real virus that can affect Android and iOS phones, stealing data from any device it arrives on.

However, the idea of someone infecting your device with Pegasus and harvesting your data without you knowing is far-fetched. Pegasus is developed by the NSO Group, an Israeli company specializing in extremely high-end, targeted spyware. It costs at least $500,000 to license Pegasus, and they don’t do business with just anyone who knocks on the front door.

It is highly targeted and often used by governments and other agencies against specific individuals or groups rather than regular folks going about their daily lives.

Am I Actually Infected With Pegasus Malware?

Fortunately, this email isn’t confirmation Pegasus spyware is on your system. As per the above, it’s extremely unlikely a run-of-the-mill spammer has licensed Pegasus to steal $800 worth of crypto from you. In fact, most of the time, hackers using spyware stay as quiet as possible for as long as possible to keep malware running on your system. This way, they can harvest as much data as possible, which could be more valuable in the long run.

That said, if you’re worried that you did pick up some malware, don’t send any money to the scammer. Instead, give your devices a quick antivirus scan and see if it picks anything up. you’re able to grab one of thebest antivirus apps for Windowsand thebest antivirus tools for Macand double-check that your computer is free of malware.

What to Do If You Receive a Pegasus Scam Email

If you see this email drop into your inbox, don’t panic. As we covered before, if someone targeted you with Pegasus malware, they won’t email you admitting their crime, asking for a paltry sum. They will keep silent about it so they can harvest your personal information, including your bank details, and siphon money off that way instead.

If you see this email, do not send the money to the address provided. It may feel tempting to do so to avoid revealing shameful secrets, but the scammer is banking on you believing them and paying them “just to make sure.”

Instead, delete the email (consider marking it as spam) and go about your business without fear of having anything leaked to your friends and family. Also, note that receiving or opening the email itself doesn’t install anything nasty on your system, so don’t worry about catching something bad from one.

All in all, the Pegasus email scam can scare people into worrying that their darkest secrets are about to be shown off to all of their loved ones. However, that’s all it is: a scam. If you receive one, be sure to delete it and move on with your life. And if this scam has gotten you worried about who’s peeking at you from behind the lens, check outhow to see if your webcam was hacked.