Monday’s FBI advisory said hackers are breaking into social media and personal accounts to steal explicit images of adults and minors, then selling them on the dark web with identifying details.
Three tactics are driving the thefts: password and PIN cracking using leaked data, fake customer-service texts that capture reset codes, and phishing emails that mimic social platforms.
6 FBI precautions center on limiting exposure and hardening accounts: do not store sensitive images online, use unique passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, and avoid links or unsolicited reset requests.
The bureau said the stolen photos can fuel sextortion schemes, with criminals using the images and personal data to blackmail victims and deepen the harm after the initial hack.