When you send intimate pictures to someone, you place absolute trust in them to keep them private. That’s why it’s so devastating to be met with a message threatening to leak your nudes. But all is not lost, and you can take action to protect your reputation. You are not alone, and you shouldn’t respond as if you are. Use the resources at your disposal and take back your life.
What to Do If Someone is Blackmailing You with Nudes
Naturally, a sense of panic sets in when you come face-to-face with a threat like having your nudes released. You need to act swiftly, but taking the wrong action could make things worse and lead to your photos actually being published. Take a deep breath and collect yourself. Here’s what you should do if someone threatens to leak your pictures:
- Stay Calm and Do Not Pay: It may seem like the price they are asking is worth protecting your nudes from disclosure. However, giving in to their demands likely won’t end the threats and often perpetuates the attack.
- Preserve All Evidence: Document any usernames, phone numbers, and accounts that have contacted you. Take screenshots of any portions of your conversation that contain threatening messages to release your nudes and create an accurate timeline of the crime committed against you.
- Cut Off Communication: You may consider outright blocking the perpetrator. However, you should instead end the conversation while leaving their account unblocked until you’ve completed a proper investigation. Be cautious of any new accounts the attacker may create and heavily vet new friend requests.
Recognizing the Signs: Common Tactics Used When Blackmailing with Nudes
The greatest defense against any cybercriminal threat is to identify the red flags and prevent it before it starts. This is what you should look out for before threats to share your nudes are made:
- Fake Profiles: Perpetrators of nude blackmail often protect their anonymity by using manufactured profiles. They pose as attractive, successful, and trustworthy individuals and play the role of a potential romantic partner.
- Social Engineering: Blackmailers artificially facilitate trust using information they’ve scraped from your online identity. They may feign similar interests and hobbies to establish a base-level relationship.
- Love Bombing: Nude blackmailers build up to their requests for intimate content by bombarding their targets with compliments and declarations of love. Be cautious of any online connections who are overly romantic early in the conversation.
- Intimate Requests: This is the most obvious precursor of nude blackmail. If you’ve just met someone online and they begin pressuring you to disclose your private pictures, their intention is likely to threaten you with your nudes.
Who Should You Tell if You’re Getting Blackmailed with Nudes?
With the evidence you’ve collected, it’s now time to inform the appropriate authorities. This is important not just for your safety, but the collective security of all internet users.
Report to Law Enforcement
Begin by notifying your local precinct that you are being blackmailed with nudes. This may lead to results if the perpetrator is within close proximity to you. If not, it will still serve as valuable documentation for your case.
You should continue up to your national law enforcement agency if the situation requires. In the United States, the FBI is responsible for fielding reports of cybercrime through their IC3 task force.
If you feel uncomfortable identifying yourself, you can submit the case as an anonymous tip. Remember that law enforcement agents are professionals and will handle your case in a confidential manner – free of judgment.
Social Media and Messaging Apps
You should also inform the system administrator of the platform that you were contacted on. This can lead to the removal of their account that is threatening to disclose your private photos, which could help protect you and other users from future harassment.
Notify Trusted Contacts
Consider informing your close circle about your situation for a few reasons. First of all, if the blackmailer is threatening to share your nudes with them, this may help mitigate the damage by letting them know not to open any attachments from unknown senders.
Furthermore, you can use your experience to inform those you care about of the potential dangers of online interactions. Not only will you be improving the collective cybersecurity of your family and friends, but you are also allowing them to provide emotional support throughout your recovery.
Support Resources
There are numerous groups you can contact for emotional support and guidance as you navigate the turmoil of a private photo disclosure threat. These groups offer judgement-free, actionable advice on what to do when someone threatens to leak your nudes.
- StopNCII: In addition to taking down nudes through hash-based matching and running the Revenge Porn Helpline, StopNCII.org also provides educational material and resources for victims of NCII abuse.
- RAINN: As the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Helpline. They also spearhead the Speakers Bureau, a network of over 3,500 survivors who share their stories to help people in a similar situation.
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative: CCRI offers educational material and a step-by-step guide for NCII abuse victims. They’ve trained various organizations on the proper handling of the crime, including the U.S. Department of Justice.
- National Center for Victims of Crime: NCVC operates VictimConnect, a referral helpline that helps victims understand their options and protections. It’s located in their Center for Victim and Survivor Services. The branch looks to enhance community and national response to crimes and promote safety, healing, and justice for victims.
- Social Media Support Groups: Victims of similar cybercrimes share their experiences in groups on social platforms to connect with others and share a commonwealth of knowledge. Groups like r/Stop_Cybercrime allow users to connect with others who have been through the same turmoil in an understanding environment.
Protecting Yourself During a Blackmail Threat
While you address the immediate threat to leak your nudes, you should also take time to address your current online practices. Implementing these practices can help you avoid similar situations of blackmail with nudes in the future:
- Audit Online Presence: Evaluate the content that you put out for the public to see. Are you oversharing on social media? Could your posts and pictures potentially give a cybercriminal precious data that could be used to blackmail or manipulate you?
- Secure Accounts: Check the user activity of your online profiles for any unauthorized login attempts. Update your passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever it is offered.
- Monitor for Disclosure: Scour the internet to see if your nudes have been disclosed anywhere. You can do this by performing a reverse image search of the pictures they are threatening you with.
Is Someone Blackmailing You with Your Nudes? Cyber Investigation Inc. Can Help You Fight Back
If you need help investigating your case, identifying your blackmailer, and preserving your reputation and online security, Cyber Investigation is here to help. We have been able to help thousands of victims fight back against online extortion with a 4.93-star rating.
We can assist you in preventing the disclosure of your nudes by:
- Tracking and Identifying Your Extortionist: Using advanced techniques such as IP tracing and metadata analysis, we can uncover the true identities behind anonymous online profiles. This includes real names, phone numbers, and even their geolocation.
- Content Removal and Release Prevention: Our experts will begin working to remove your content from the blackmailer’s possession and prevent your content from being disclosed. We can provide recorded evidence showcasing the complete deletion of your private photos from their system and identify and remove any that were publicized.
Why You Should Never Face Nude Blackmail Alone
Sextortion is on the rise and happens far more often than you might think. The NCMEC receives 812 cases of online sextortion each week. There are millions of people who have experienced someone threatening to make their private photos public. Likewise, there are numerous outlets that provide support to sextortion victims.
There have been great strides made recently in the battle against sextortion in regard to protections, counteraction efforts, and general awareness of the issue. At Cyber Investigation Inc., we foster this progress by helping our clients prevent the disclosure of their nudes and protect their private pictures.
If you’ve been targeted in a sextortion scheme, there is no time to waste. Reach out to our Sextortion Helpline today and start your road to recovery.
