Wong Chen, Rafizi Ramli, and Mohammed Taufiq Johari, three Malaysian MPs, have reported that they were the target of a case of cyber blackmail.
The offenders would send AI-generated pornographic pictures and accept cryptocurrencies as a form of hush money. This same character of the threats has brought about concerns regarding planned efforts to threaten lawmakers.
Email threats with AI-generated images
The problem was revealed on September 12, after the office of Wong Chen was sent an email with a threatening message. The email contained a fake picture that put him in a risky pose and a QR code that required $100,000 US worth of digital assets. Wong affirmed that his team did not deal with the links or code and immediately reported to the Subang police. He later found out that Rafizi Ramli had also been sent the same email on the same day, with the exact wording and a different image.
MPs reject rumours of hacking
Wong said that both images were almost the same except for the faces, including the bedding and room arrangement. He ruled out the possibility of his phone being hacked and requested the masses to avoid circulating rumors. Rafizi also verified the case by admitting that he has already suffered a couple of hacking attacks in recent months. Both MPs emphasized that this sort of trick should not dishearten elected representatives from discharging their responsibilities.
Ongoing investigations and warnings
Wong also said that he is liaising with police, computer experts, and cryptocurrency experts to help track the culprits. He further indicated that financial regulators, like the Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission, could also monitor accounts. He cautioned that recurring attacks might be the beginning of an attempt to bully politicians or sabotage the workings of parliament. Similar threats were also made against Taufiq Johari, but he confirmed that he had reported to the police and urged the investigations to be conducted. He addressed the people to be watchful and to disregard such threats.
The MPs claimed that they would not be intimidated and that they would go on with their work in parliament without fear. Research efforts are underway, and more news is anticipated as the law enforcement agencies continue with the case.
