It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News e-mail scam: how to spot it and what to do
"It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News" is a typical extortion scam that spreads via email. Crooks behind it claim that they have hacked users' computers and now have full access to various personal information, including browsing history and even camera access.
Facts checked October 4, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News: summary
| Name | It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News |
|---|---|
| Type | Sextortion e-mail |
| Symptoms | A sextortion e-mail demanding payment |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| Arrives as | |
| Pretends to be | A hacker who claims to have taken over your device |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 5 more facts
| Claim | They recorded you through your camera and will send the video to your contacts |
|---|---|
| Asks for | A crypto payment |
| First seen | 19 July 2022 |
| Distribution | Malspam – the attackers send thousands of emails in bulk to extort as much money as possible |
| Facts checked | 4 October 2026 |
What you received
You got a message in the name of a hacker who claims to have taken over your device.
It says that they recorded you through your camera and will send the video to your contacts, and it asks for a crypto payment.
This is a sextortion e-mail, sent in bulk by scammers. Do not reply, do not use any link or number in it, and check any account it mentions by opening the service the way you normally do. If you already clicked, typed or paid, go straight to the steps below. For the long version, see how phishing works and how to spot it.
It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News in short
People who see an e-mail that begins "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" are often the target of a phishing attempt or of someone who already has their password. The goal is money or the account itself.
The quickest protection is the same in every case:
- change the password from a clean device
- end all sessions
- add two-step verification
Then check the account for changes you did not make. Step by step: how to secure your accounts.
From our report of Jul 2022 · not reviewed since
What It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News is
"It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News" is a typical extortion scam that spreads via email.
Crooks behind it claim that they have hacked users' computers and now have full access to various personal information, including browsing history and even camera access. It goes without saying that email is a mere bluff, and the main goal of cybercriminals is to make people transfer digital currency to them.
[1] The main goal is to shame victims and make them believe that a recording of them was made whenever they visited an adult-oriented website. Allegedly, if they refuse to pay, a copy of a video would be sent out to all their contacts for everyone to see.
This is not the first and not the last email scam that attempts to run this scheme – "Unfortunately, there are some bad news for you," or "Your device was compromised" are just a few examples we have previously covered. If you have received an email of this kind, please do not panic and check out the information below that should help you deal with this.
What the It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News e-mail looks like
It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News: what victims saw
So far It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News is known from 4 write-ups by security sites only, re-checked on 4 October 2026.
That is enough to tell what kind of threat it is and what to remove, and this guide is updated as more details come in.
- People received a threat that opened with "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!".
The wording as reported: a sextortion e-mail demanding payment
Subject: Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!
Hi. How are you?
I know, it's unpleasant to start the conversation with bad news, but I have no choice.
Few months ago, I have gained access to your devices that used by you for internet browsing.
Afterwards, I could track down all your internet activities.
Here is the history of how it could become possible:
At first, I purchased from hackers the access to multiple email accounts (nowadays, it is a really simple thing to do online).
As result, I could easily log in to your email account (-).
One week later, I installed Trojan virus in Operating Systems of all devices of yours, which you use to open email.
Frankly speaking, it was rather straightforward (since you were opening the links from your inbox emails).
Everything ingenious is quite simple. (o_0)!
My software enables me with access to all controllers inside devices of yours, like microphone, keyboard and video camera.
I could easily download to my servers all your private info, including the history of web browsing and photos.
I can effortlessly gain access to all your messengers, social networks accounts, emails, contact list as well as chat history.
Virus of mine constantly keeps refreshing its signatures (because it is driver-based), and as result remains unnoticed by your antivirus.
Hence, you can already guess why I stayed undetected all this while.
As I was gathering information about you, I couldn't help but notice that you are also a true fan of adult-content websites.
You actually love visiting porn sites and browsing through kinky videos, while pleasuring yourself.
I could make a few dirty records with you in the main focus and montaged several videos showing the way you reach orgasm while masturbating with joy.
If you are still uncertain regarding the seriousness of my intentions,
it only requires several mouse clicks for me to forward your videos to all your relatives, as well as friends and colleagues.
I can also make those vids become accessible by public.
I honestly think that you do not really want that to happen, considering the peculiarity of videos you like to watch,
(you obviously know what I mean) all that kinky content can become a reason of serious troubles for you.
However, we can still resolve this situation in the following manner:
Everything you are required to do is a single transfer of $1370 USD to my account (or amount equivalent to bitcoin depending on exchange rate at the moment of transfer),
and once the transaction is complete, I will straight away remove all the dirty content exposing you.
After that, you can even forget that you have come across me. Moreover, I swear that all the harmful software will be removed from all devices of yours as well.
Make no doubt that I will fulfill my part.
This is really a great deal that comes at a reasonable price, given that I have used quite a lot of energy to check your profile as well as traffic over an extended period of time.
If you have no idea about bitcoin purchase process – it can be straightforwardly done by getting all the necessary information online.
Here is my bitcoin wallet provided below: 1NYCdN9eBXhT4tPSpu4EhpjC9gHXLzipLL, 1N5J73F3gYPgZ8zkbnUhoryrYjQcqsA7St, 1JfnsTBvRQYNvzxYFTQBtEUgojmPy2vd6F, 19Ya5oeV6zqsHa9TSyurpeF1LpYJqm84Yv, 17BSLhc597GybEuZ4DyFpdtceY3Moi3nWo, 1CDLcxiYqWBhDsxriEP92aFTLe9gyyRS4L
You should complete the abovementioned transfer within 48 hours (2 days) after opening this email.
The following list contains actions you should avoid attempting:
#Do not try replying my email (email in your inbox was generated by me alongside with return email address).
#Do not try calling police as well as other security forces. In addition, abstain from sharing this story with your friends.
After I find out (be sure, I can easily do that, given that I keep complete control of all your devices) – your kinky video will end up being available to public right away.
#Do not try searching for me – there is absolutely no reason to do that. Moreover, all transactions in cryptocurrency are always anonymous.
#Do not try reinstalling the OS on your devices or throwing them away. It is pointless as well, since all your videos have already been uploaded to remote servers.
The following list contains things you should not be worried about:
#That your money won't reach my account.
– Rest assured, the transactions can be tracked, hence once the transaction is complete,
I will know about it, because I continuously observe all your activities (my trojan virus allows me to control remotely your devices, same as TeamViewer).
#That I still will share your kinky videos to public after you complete money transfer.
– Trust me, it's pointless for me to continue troubling your life. If I really wanted, I would make it happen already!
Let's make this deal in a fair manner!
Owh, one more thing…in future it is best that you don't involve yourself in similar situations any longer!
One last advice from me – recurrently change all your passwords from all accounts.
Why you received It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News
Scammers send messages like this to millions of addresses and numbers taken from data breaches, scraped websites and guessed patterns.
Getting the e-mail does not mean your PC is infected or that someone targeted you personally.
Mark it as spam or phishing so that the provider learns to block the next wave, and never reply to ask to be removed: a reply proves the address is read. Why filters miss some of these: how phishing reaches your inbox.
How to tell the It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News e-mail is fake
How we know it is not real
It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News fails the basic checks that a message from a hacker who claims to have taken over your device would pass.
Most telling is what it asks for: a crypto payment. No bank, mail provider, courier or shop asks for that through a link or a phone number in an unexpected message. Bad grammar or a slightly wrong logo help too, but newer scams often have neither, so rely on the sender and the request. Details in how to spot a phishing e-mail.
Is anything wrong with the PC?
The text "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" says your device was hacked, but it gives nothing that proves it.
Signs of real remote access are different:
- unknown remote-access programs in Installed apps
- the mouse moving by itself
- new user accounts
If you see none of those, the PC is fine. If you have a webcam you never use, a cover costs nothing and ends the worry.
Spot it next time
Scammers will copy a hacker who claims to have taken over your device again, or another brand you trust.
What stays the same is the structure:
- a problem
- a deadline
- a request that skips the normal way of doing things
Make a habit of going to services directly, through a bookmark or the app, whenever a message asks you to act. Use a password manager: it will not fill in your password on a fake domain, which is a useful warning in itself. Turn on two-step verification with an authenticator app or passkey on e-mail and banking.
More signs to watch for: our phishing guide.
Is It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News dangerous? What the senders want
Is the threat in "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" real?
No. If someone had really taken over your PC, they would show proof, not general claims that fit everyone.
The e-mail "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" never names a file, a site or a date that only you could know.
Some versions quote an old password. That comes from a public data breach, not from your computer, and it is the best reason to change that password everywhere it is still used. More on the template: extortion e-mails explained.
How It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News works
The sender claims that they recorded you through your camera and will send the video to your contacts.
The message describes hacked devices, webcam recordings and copied contacts, and demands payment in Bitcoin within a day or two.
To seem credible, it may quote an old password of yours, your name or your phone number. Those details come from old data breaches, not from your computer. The same text goes to thousands of people at once; there is no recording. How these blackmail e-mails are built: sextortion and other phishing e-mails.
Other threats that look like this
The same signs are also caused by other kinds of threat.
The steps in this guide cover them, but if your case matches one of these better, its section of the site has more:
- Scam alerts (credential phishing): If it includes a link to 'see the proof', the real aim may be a phishing page or a download.
Where the damage happens
Reading It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News is harmless.
The damage is in what it asks for: a crypto payment.
Your main e-mail account deserves the most care, because it can reset every other password. If you shared anything, start there and follow the order that matters after phishing.
From our report of Jul 2022 · not reviewed since
How it all works, and why shouldn't you respond/pay
Sextortion scams have a long history – they have been around even before the internet was commonly used.
The main goal of criminals is to acquire victims' compromised material, which would allow blackmailing them by claiming that it would be exposed to their loved ones or colleagues/friends.
We have previously seen plenty of attempts to monetize users' anxiety about such things. Each of such emails is written in various ways, although the main principle remains the same, which is to make people believe that a video of them visiting -rated websites has been recorded and that they need to pay a particular sum of money in bitcoin to avoid being exposed.
When dissecting this message, it becomes evident that there are a lot of things crooks are talking about that could actually happen under certain circumstances. [2] However, there are plenty of security tools that are particularly designed to scan for rootkits and remove them effectively.
The description of the monitoring aspect is also correct, as certain malicious programs are designed to harvest various user data or even steal personal files or emails. The main difference here is that all these claims are mere bluff and the "It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News" scam authors only try to frighten users and make them pay.
A lot of information is being fed to users in order to make them believe that they are dealing with a real hacker that has compromised their system.
In some cases, people are even shown their (usually outdated) password of some account as "proof" that the hack is real. In reality, these passwords are acquired by scammers on the underground forums for a few dollars, and they don't really know the password.
Therefore, whenever you receive an email or see a similar message on a random website, never interact with it, and don't be frightened – in most cases, all the claims are completely fake, and crooks do not have any compromising material of yours. Simply ignore the message entirely and report it to your local authorities dealing with cybercrime:
If your country is not listed above, you should contact the local police department or communications center.
- USA – Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3
- United Kingdom – ActionFraud
- Canada – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
- Australia – ScamWatch
- New Zealand – ConsumerProtection
- Germany – Polizei
- France – Ministère de l'Intérieur
From our report of Jul 2022 · not reviewed since
Make sure you clean your browsers and scan your system
As we have already said many times, the crooks behind the "It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News" email are simply bluffing, and they are unlikely to have any videos of you.
However, it is vital to make sure that the system is checked thoroughly as a precautionary measure, as malware could be involved in some cases (for example, your email could have been leaked due to malware infection in the first place).
This would ensure that all the malware and its malicious components, if present, are found and removed effectively. Don't forget to clean your web browser as well, as crooks may hijack cookies[3] in some cases, which could result in personal account compromise and other privacy issues. Likewise, removing cookies would stop any type of third-party tracking.
If you would rather perform this step yourself, you have to access your browser settings as follows:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
If you replied or paid
If you clicked, entered details or paid
It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News wanted a crypto payment.
Find your case:
- Only read it: delete it and report it: Report a phishing e-mail.
- Clicked but typed nothing: close the page. A link alone rarely infects an updated PC.
- Entered a password: change it on the real site and turn on two-step verification: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account.
- Entered card or bank details: call your bank on the number on your card.
- Paid or sent crypto: What to do after paying a scammer.
- Sent ID documents: Freeze your credit after a breach.
- Opened a file: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
Account by account, in the right order: securing your accounts after phishing.
If you paid
It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News asked for a crypto payment.
How much can be recovered depends on how the money left:
- Card: call the bank, report fraud and ask for a chargeback. This works most often.
- PayPal: open a dispute in the app within the deadline.
- Bank transfer: ask the bank to recall it the same day; later is rarely possible.
- Gift cards: call the card company with the codes; unspent balances can sometimes be frozen.
- Crypto: report the wallet address; reversal is not possible.
The steps in detail: What to do after paying a scammer. A police report helps the bank decide; see where to report scams.
What to do about the It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News e-mail
Steps after "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!"
Delete the e-mail "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" once you have reported it (Report a phishing e-mail).
New versions may arrive; treat each one the same way. There is no deadline that matters.
Change any password the message showed and enable two-step verification (Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account).
Talk to someone you trust if the message frightened you. The threat is empty, and the senders count on people keeping it to themselves.
The message is a bluff sent to millions of addresses.
Nothing needs to be removed from your PC.
Step 1: Stop replying and keep the evidence
It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News works only while you keep answering. Stop the conversation, block the sender, and save the evidence first:
- screenshots of the messages
- the addresses used and any account
- wallet numbers
Do not follow up with a "recovery service" that contacts you later, since those are usually the same people. On Windows 11 and Windows 10, Windows + Shift + S takes the screenshots.
Full procedure with screenshots: What to do after paying a scammer
Step 2: Change the password the message quotes
A real password in the subject or the text comes from an old data breach, not from your webcam or PC. Change it on every account where you still use it, starting with e-mail, and turn on two-step verification there.
Check which breaches your address appears in on our breaches page. Nothing needs to be removed from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC because of this message.
Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
Step 3: Report it
Report the scam where it reaches the people who can act: in the US to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to ic3.gov if you lost money, in the UK to Action Fraud, and in the EU to the national police or consumer authority.
Include the sender, the addresses, the amounts and screenshots. Mark the message as phishing or spam in your mail or messaging app as well, which trains the filter for everyone.
The mail apps on Windows 11 and Windows 10 have the same report buttons as their web versions.
Full procedure with screenshots: Report a cyber attack or scam to the authorities
How to report It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News
A report gives you a reference number for your bank and insurer and helps police link cases.
Include the dates, an e-mail that begins "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!", any payment details, addresses and phone numbers the attackers used, and screenshots.
In the US, report to the FBI at ic3.gov and scams to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In the UK, use Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk); in Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre; in Australia, ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au. EU residents report to their national police: Report a cyber attack or scam to the authorities.
Every agency, with what to send and when businesses must notify regulators, is listed in where to report cybercrime by country.
Questions about It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News
Do they really have a video, as "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" says?
No. The e-mail "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" is a template sent to a huge list of addresses, and the same claims are made to every recipient.
If the sender had a recording, they would attach a still or name something specific; they never do. The claim about malware on a website you visited is invented, and so is the countdown.
Some versions include an old password to seem credible, but that comes from a leaked database. Delete the message, change any password it quotes and do not reply. Replying only confirms that your address is read by a person.
Is my webcam hacked after "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!"?
There is no sign of that in the e-mail itself. Real webcam spying needs a remote-access program on the PC, and that would show up as an unknown program in Installed apps, an unexpected camera light or a security alert. The message "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" offers no such evidence.
If you want to check, open Windows Settings, go to Privacy and security, then Camera, and look at which apps used the camera recently. Run a Windows Security scan. If both look normal, the threat is just words.
Could It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News be a genuine message?
We checked it, and it is not. A hacker who claims to have taken over your device is only the costume. The message exists to get a crypto payment, and real companies handle that inside your account, after you sign in normally, not through links, attachments or phone numbers in a message you did not expect.
Scammers copy logos and footers perfectly, so the design proves nothing. The sender address, the link target and the request are the reliable signs, and all three point to a scam here. Delete it, and if you are worried, check your account directly.
Why does It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News say that they recorded you through your camera and will send the video to your contacts?
Because that story works. A problem that needs fixing, a deadline and a simple solution make people act before they check.
The claim that they recorded you through your camera and will send the video to your contacts is the same for everyone who received It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News; it was written once and sent in bulk. Nothing about your own situation triggered it.
If you are unsure, look at the real account or service the normal way, without using the message. The claim will not be there, which settles the question. Then report the message.
What does It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News want from me?
In the end, a crypto payment. Everything else in It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News, from the logo to the deadline, is there to get you to that point without stopping to think.
Knowing the goal helps you judge your risk. If you did not give it, you lost nothing and can delete the message. If you did, the steps in this guide are ordered by what you handed over:
- passwords first
- then card and bank details
- then documents and anything you installed
- ran
Act on the highest item on that list first.
Can I trick the scammers or waste their time?
Better not. Replying to It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News confirms that your address or number is live and puts it on lists that sell for more. Scammers who are teased sometimes switch to harassment or try to use any detail you reveal, such as your name, employer or location.
Playing along also risks a slip, like opening a link or a file they send. Report the message, block the sender and delete it. Your report does more damage to the operation than a conversation would.
Will my bank refund a payment to scammers?
Often, if you paid by card and report it quickly. Card networks have dispute rules for fraud and for goods that never arrived, and banks decide case by case. Transfers you authorised yourself are harder; some countries have reimbursement schemes for such fraud, others leave it to the bank.
Explain clearly that you were deceived, give the date, amount and recipient, and attach the scam message and a police reference number. Ask the bank to block the card if you typed its details anywhere.
Should I scan my PC after It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News?
Yes, it is a quick way to rule out one possible cause. Open Windows Security and run a full scan; it takes about half an hour.
If it finds nothing and there are no unknown programs or extensions, the account problem behind an e-mail that begins "Don't forget to pay the tax within 2 days!" most likely started with a leaked or phished password.
If it finds a stealer or trojan, remove it first, then change your passwords from another device, then sign out of all sessions, because stolen cookies keep working until you do.
Why did I receive It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News?
Scam messages go to millions of addresses and numbers collected from data breaches, public websites and simple guessing. Receiving It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News does not mean your PC is infected or that an account of yours was hacked.
If the message includes an old password of yours, it comes from a breach of some website; change that password wherever you still use it. Mark the message as spam or phishing so your provider blocks similar ones. Never reply to ask to be removed from the list: the sender treats a reply as proof that the address works.
Will Fortect remove It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For It's Unpleasant To Start The Conversation With Bad News, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- NCSC: Sextortion emails: how to protect yourself (read October 4, 2026)
- CrowdStrike: Rootkit malware (read October 4, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Session hijacking (read October 4, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize and avoid phishing scams (read October 4, 2026)
- CISA: Recognize and report phishing (read October 4, 2026)