Warning: Scam artists are preying on your love for porn

I know you've surfed the Web for porn. I know exactly what you've viewed and downloaded. And your family, friends and co-workers will soon know as well, if you don't send payment immediately.

Sounds scary, huh? Probably scarier than those "Nigerian prince" scams you've learned to ignore — especially if you've dabbled in the online world of pornography once or twice, or daily.

According to the Better Business Bureau, a new scam presents victims with threats of revealing that they've watched or downloaded porn. A scammer may even say they've hacked into your webcam, proving it was you behind the keyboard. Even if you've never come close to viewing such material, the scam could target you as well. The bad guys are just throwing reels out there, seeing if anyone will bite.

"Some things just sound so wild you never think they would be true, but this one kind of has some reality to it," said Melissa Companick, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Serving New Jersey.

And given the recent string of widely publicized data breaches, she said, consumers may be more likely to believe their personal information has truly been compromised.

Companick said their Scam Tracker shows the threat has targeted individuals nationwide, including in the Garden State, in 2018.

"The most important thing — just don't respond. Your emotional thinking is not rational thinking," Companick said. "You're getting emotional over this — my spouse, my boss, everyone I know is going to see this. It's just not true."

Scam Tracker submissions suggest criminals want to be paid in Bitcoin, a virtual currency that is very difficult to trace. Scammers may also claim to have an old password and threat to install malware on your computer if a payment is not made.

Companick said there are some red flags to look for if you're encountered with a text or email threatening to release your porn history. For one, the scammer can't provide any details about the site(s) visited, and can't back up their threat with any evidence such as a compromising screenshot. An urgent request for ransom — to be paid in gift cards, Bitcoin or wire transfer — is another sign you're being scammed.

BBB said this scam is a "new twist" on "revenge porn," when a scammer — or sometimes someone who knows the victim — threatens to distribute explicit photos or videos of a victim in order to blackmail them.

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Contact reporter Dino Flammia at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com.