Ransomware Threat Email Causes 17 Year Old Teen To Hang Himself

The FBI Ukash MonkeyPak Ransomware is a malware that locks you out of your computer and your applications until you pay a “ransom” of $100/$200 via MoneyPak/Ukash/PaySafeCard.

This infection is typically installed onto a computer when the user visits an infected website that contains malicious scripts which could exploit vulnerabilities from the browser or the installed plug-ins.

Once installed, the FBI Ransomware will be configured to start automatically when you login to Windows.

Click on picture to enlarge:

Joseph Edwards, 17 year old student from Windsor Berkshire, hanged himself after receiving a hoax email that claimed to have been sent from the police. It had also claimed that he had been seen browsing illegal websites. A fine of 100 pounds would have to be paid in order to prevent the police from acting against him. The scam email had downloaded the so-called Police Randsomware malware onto his laptop, as well as other malware that prevented him from accessing his files.

Edwards had autism and was thus easily manipulated into believing that the email had genuinely been sent by the Cheshire police, a coroner heard.

So depressed and upset was Edwards that just hours later he had hanged himself. His mother was the one who found him at the family home in Windsor. Jacqueline Edwards told the coroner that he did not understand the ramifications of his actions or question the honesty of the email

“He didn’t seem to have any worries known to me. I don’t think he really understood,” Jacqueline Edwards told the coroner. “Joseph was subjected to a scam on the internet, a threatening, fake police link that was asking for money,” his mother said in a statement. “He would have taken it literally because of his autism and he didn’t want to upset Georgia [his sister] or me.”

Ransomware of this variety does not encrypt files, and usually asks for a 200 euro or pound fine. Dedicated tools are more effective at removing such an infection.

Detective Sergeant Peter Wall states that it would be practically impossible to trace the location of the scammers, and believes that they probably reside outside the UK.

Randsomware has caused death in at least one other case. Last year, a Romanian man had committed suicide, taking his son with him. A suicide note was written as follows:

“I received a warning [on my computer] that said I have to pay 70.000 lei [$22,000] or go to prison for 11 years,” the note allegedly reads. “I don’t think it’s normal what I’ve done…I apologize to all of you…I don’t want Nicusor to suffer because of me…I can’t stand going to prison. I can’t.”

Anonymous recommends: Protect your PC & mobile devices from hackers & governments & surf anonymously