Blackmail

You’re using WordPress free open source software, and volunteers on this forum may be able to offer advice, but that’s as far as we can help.

Report this to paypal and check your security is as solid as it can be. Start with https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Hardening_WordPress

You’re not the only one… it seems that this blackmail comment’ trackback hit many webmasters. I too received this and don’t like it at all.

Here a link to a forum where people discuss this crap: https://www.warriorforum.com/main-internet-marketing-discussion-forum/576831-i-just-received-vicious-blog-comment.html

My website is hardened, but a dedicated hacker can get through. The point is, I want to know the physical location of this person–which I understand from my FBI and police friends is indeed possible. The thing is, they won’t get involved unless there is big money in the case. As for me, I would not at all mind taking a trip to San Francisco (or anywhere else in the US) and meeting this hacker up close and personal. These extortionists should be confronted, and especially by a person who has nothing to lose and who harbors many beasts within… a sad admission. I have already tracked down the IP location, but I am not sure how to proceed from there given the routing possibilities. But confront these criminals we must, and in no uncertain terms. All I need is help tracking this person down to fixed location. something that will give me a name, address, and phone number. Then I must confirm that the location is correct. Confirmation is everything when it comes to justice. Is such a thing possible?

Hello,

Yes this has nothing to do with Scraped Media Pty Ltd, it’s just someone spamming blogs trying to cause problems.

However we have traced who’s doing it, and been in contact with our business accounts manager at PayPal who will handle it. If anyone did send money to us at either of those PayPal addresses it will be immediately returned.

You can just delete the comment, there is no risk to your blog being hacked it’s just bulk spam.

Regards, Scraped Media.

Please forward the person’s name, physical address, and phone number. Better yet, post it. If someone wants to play a vicous game, so be it. I have a right to know who that someone is–we all do. And that someone, must be held accountable.

@ghe101library

While I offer only a comment rather than advice, one might think that the wisest thing to do if you really want to pursue the issue, would be to get with legal councel and stop posting about it in an open forum. Especially given the exceptionally wide interpretation that your last comment could be subject to.

The very reason these criminals get away with this behavior is because they are not known. They hide in dark places. Would you have us shrink away from confronting these folks in public? Moreover, someone claims to know the person and his/her location! Hey, this is what I would/will do. If given the person’s name, address, etc., I would first confirm the info. I would indeed go to his or her location after I had contacted the police. When I’m sure the evidence is in hand, I would indeed confront the person in question directly, at the police station or at his home–whatever the locals felt best. And I would make that person answerable for blackmail, because that is what is being attempted. Would I like to beat the person senseless? It is hard not to want that. Is that the right thing to do? Of course not! But is confronting him right? We have a duty to confront folks who threaten or steal from us, a social responcibility. I say in public what I would say in private, and I’ve no qualms about it. We owe the community our honesty above all else. And this person who is trying to rip people off needs to know there are consequences for action.

Scraped Media is a WordPress website, so I would think you people would get involved in bringing this blackmailer to the attention of the police. It is you good name that is getting abused, and the hacker should be held accountable.

Would you have us shrink away from confronting these folks in public?

Absolutely. It needs to be done properly, and quietly. By intelligent people who are properly equipped to handle it, and who are empowered by the law to do so. Scraped Media appears to have already made an attempt to initiate that process.

We have a duty to confront folks who threaten or steal from us, a social responcibility.

I agree. And again; It needs to be done properly, and quietly. By intelligent people who are properly equipped to handle it, and who are empowered by the law to do so.

Discussions that get posted openly on the internet in circumstances such as these becomes a permanent record, either for – or against – any future litigation that might be possible. That’s a lot to consider.

On the lighter side: I think you might just be feeling so much indignation at this point, that it’s blowing a spammer situation way out of proportion.

Just my opinion, mind you. Thanks for letting me share! Good luck to you!

Thanks to the original poster for posting this. I got the same ‘trackback’ message today on my WP website and I wasn’t sure of what to do. I hope this person gets what they deserve and this doesn’t go unnoticed/neglected.

Scraped Media is a WordPress website, so I would think you people would get involved in bringing this blackmailer to the attention of the police.

This place, www.ads-software.com, does not host anyone’s blog. As cubecolour already said

You’re using WordPress free open source software, and volunteers on this forum may be able to offer advice, but that’s as far as we can help.

If you want to follow up with PayPal and/or the authorities, that’s up to you. But while we all may sympathize with you and offer advice, it really doesn’t have anything to do with anyone here.

This issue has to do with the entire community who use WordPress, and if WP people don’t feel we unwashed should get involved for the sake of a more “intelligent” approach, so be it. But some of us think this issue should be screamed about. For heaven’s sake, folks are being blackmailed and one of WordPress’ subscribers is being left to the wolves. Scraped Media doesn’t need this mess, nor do I or the numerous other people who use WordPress. If we cannot look to WordPress for direct and VERY public involvement, then let it be known as a matter of permanent public record. For this issue to be simply left for “intelligent” people to deal with in silence does little to bring attention to a vexing problem that effects us all. And don’t raise the red herring that anything being said here will hurt future civil or criminal procedures. The indignation expressed in this forumn is honest and visceral, and that means something by way of tort. Innocent people are getting attacked, and that is more than upsetting. It is hurtful and wrong. Perhaps WordPress has become complacent with hacking, but let us hope not.

For this issue to be simply left for “intelligent” people to deal with in silence does little to bring attention to a vexing problem that effects us all.

I think you may misunderstand. This issue that you have experienced – spam – is indeed a public one. You will find a lot of great information and discussion on how to combat it here.

However; pursuing an issue relative to prosecution and or threatening legal action or “other” implied consequences, should never be done on a public forum. [just my opinion… i should hope it would be your lawyers opinion as well]

Just for the sake of conversation, it appears – from what you described – that you have experienced nothing more than comment spam that was intended to target web site admins who present a more “innocent” or gullible nature than those who would simply delete it and dismiss it. It’s designed to find those who will panic, and send the spammer (someone) money. While that alone is frustrating and intrusive, I don’t think you can qualify that as being “hacked”.

Who do you contact when you get phishing emails in your inbox? Do you just delete them because you recognize them for what they are? Or is there someone you can contact to follow up on it with an arrest? While your enthusiasm is certainly admirable, when you look at it in that perspective, is it still practical?

Perhaps WordPress has become complacent with hacking, but let us hope not.

Not at all. There is a ton of evidence to the contrary in fact, but you don’t appear to have been hacked, so that might not really be worth citing at this point. It looks like you just received comment spam. What you’ve experienced is not limited to WordPress. Every web platform with an open commenting system can/will/does experience the same (or similar) thing at some point. I don’t know if any of that makes you feel any better about the comment spam or not, but it’s sort of an everyday thing, everywhere (not just wordpress).

p.s. I love tarts! ??

My website was hardened because it had been compromised in the past. The issue here is not just hacking per se, but the threat thereof–as in blackmail. If you construe that backmail as merely spam, something to ignored–that view will speak for itself. I needn’t say anything more, accept that we WordPress users appear to be on our own. But thank you for the time… It has been illuminating.

It has been illuminating.

It sure has, and I thank you for your patience in allowing me to contribute to the thought process.

You know, this might be a great opportunity for you. Certainly you have some very passionate feelings on the topic… It might be a great time to do a little more research and fact checking, outline your ideas, and then maybe publish an in-depth piece on your site. It certainly is great material to generate some feedback with.

Take care!

[edit] …just a footnote; your readme.html can still be viewed (sans css). The authentication dialog doesn’t stop the file from being viewed. It’s ok to go ahead and delete that file if you like.