Residents in Newtown who have been targeted by blackmail emails are being reassured by police that it is part of a global sextortion scam and they are not being targeted personally.
Police said they had received reports from the public about emails purporting to have personal information.
"Dyfed-Powys Police has received an increase in reports from people who have been emailed by a stranger demanding large amounts of money, and threatening to share photos or videos with their friends and family if they do not pay, said a police statement.
"Three people from Pembrokeshire and Powys have come forward in the last fortnight to report receiving emails of this kind, but cybercrime officers believe many more messages like this have been sent."
One victim was asked to pay $866, with a threat that inappropriate images would be circulated to their contacts list if they did not pay.
Detective Sergeant Rob Gravelle, of the Digital Communications and Cyber Crime Unit, said: “What we want people to understand is that these emails are part of a worldwide scam and that anyone who has received such an email has not been personally targeted.
“The sender is likely to have bought a list of compromised email addresses and passwords from the dark web and has sent out hundreds and thousands of similar emails in the hope that one person will respond with money.
“The best advice we can give is don’t respond, don’t pay, and change your email password, as well as passwords to any other accounts if you were using the same one.”
Visit www.getsafeonline.org to keep up to date with the latest scams.
To report blackmail or sextortion to Dyfed-Powys Police call 101. If you are at immediate threat of harm, always call 999.
