According to a Gen Threat study, the risk of being targeted by a financial scam on Facebook increased by over 300% in the second quarter of 2025. Millions of daily active users on Facebook use the platform to unwind and often let their guard down, making them more vulnerable to scammers. This leaves many people asking, “Can you get blackmailed on Facebook?”
The answer is yes, and it’s important to know how to protect yourself. If you use Facebook, it’s important to understand how to stop blackmail and sextortion before scammers can target you. Sextortion is growing at a rapid pace, and Facebook is one of the largest platforms for the crime. Keep reading to learn how to deal with Facebook blackmail if it ever happens to you.
How to Deal with Facebook Blackmail Immediately
Once a blackmail threat has been made against you, your response needs to be strategic and decisive. One common type of online blackmail is sextortion, which occurs when someone threatens to share intimate images or videos of you unless you pay money or comply with their demands. Sextortion is a crime that leaves victims feeling isolated, fearful, traumatized, and ashamed.
Taking all that into account, it is not surprising that most victims do not report the abuse to anyone. This results in victims being trapped in a vicious and abusive cycle. Sextortion is essentially a specific form of blackmail, and understanding this can help you respond more effectively. If you are trying to understand how to deal with sextortion on Facebook, follow these steps:
- Save the evidence. The first step you should take is to preserve all proof of the crime. Messages on Facebook can be deleted and profiles can be changed. It’s essential to save all evidence of blackmail or sextortion immediately after receiving it. You can take screenshots of messages and anything else that is relevant.
- Do not give in to the demands.You should never consider complying with a blackmailer’s or sextortionist’s demands. Instead of stopping the threats and attacks, it encourages the criminal to continue the blackmail even more aggressively.
- Report the scam on Facebook. Victims of Facebook blackmail and sextortion have a tool that allows them to fight back. You can notify the platform administrators of the scammer’s profile, messages, posts, and even comments. This could lead to the profile being removed from the platform. However, it doesn’t stop the scammer from making another account.
- Notify the authorities. Local law enforcement can assist you with filing an official complaint, which can be used to support future legal action. Next, you should notify the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 processes and forwards each case to the appropriate agencies across the country, including cases involving sextortion
- Secure your accounts. It’s vital to strengthen the security on your accounts when you are being targeted by a cybercriminal. Start by making sure no unauthorized users have gained access to your accounts. Next, update your passwords. Use a strong, unique password for each account you have. You should also enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for an added layer of security.
- Turn to cybersecurity experts. Private cybersecurity firms can guide victims on how to deal with Facebook blackmail or sextortion.
What to Expect from Facebook Blackmailers
Blackmailers on Facebook are typically only interested in your money. They will use similar tactics to lure in potential victims and establish trust. However, the more users are aware of the methods used by Facebook blackmailers and sextortionists, the less effective their schemes will be. Fortunately, our analysts have compiled a list of common tactics used by blackmailers and sextortionists on Facebook. When it comes to how to deal with Facebook blackmail or sextortion, the first step is to take note of the following techniques.
Emotional Manipulation
Blackmailers and sextortionists are manipulative and use emotions to pressure victims into compliance. At the start, the main goal is to gain your trust. They will weaponize excessive flattery, provide constant attention, and fake emotional vulnerability to create the illusion of a deep connection. Mirroring is also a common manipulative tactic by perpetrators, adapting their interests, beliefs, and life experiences to match the victim’s.
After enough trust is built, the perpetrator begins targeting identifiable information that they can use as leverage. Once they have it, they drop their friendly façade and threaten to publicly expose the content. They use short deadlines and urgent language to intensify the fear, shame, and distress from the situation and encourage rash decisions.
Fake Profiles and Impersonation
Cybercriminals use social engineering to trick victims into performing an action that reveals sensitive information. In many cases, blackmailers and sextortionists will use the likeness of attractive individuals to lure potential victims into a romantic relationship. They may also use fake profiles to trick victims into clicking malicious links.
Facebook is plagued with billions of fake accounts. In fact, the social media giant estimates that 3% of its monthly active users are fake accounts. Though some of these fraudulent profiles are harmless, many of them are run by sextortionists waiting to target their next victim.
Steering the Conversation off the Platform
Facebook has strict policies against blackmail and sextortion and can often respond quickly to any complaints of the crime. The platform has also implemented machine learning technology to detect and remove profiles engaging in inappropriate behavior before a user notifies the administrators.
Because of this, perpetrators will steer conversations onto private messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. These platforms have less oversight and provide the criminal more freedom to conduct blackmail or sextortion.
Demands for Payment
When blackmailers or sextortionists demand money, they use methods of payment that are difficult to trace. It’s common for criminals to request money through cryptocurrency or gift cards. Cybercriminals are most concerned with maintaining their anonymity. This allows them to act with reduced fear of repercussions.
Do Facebook Blackmailers Follow Through?
It is hard to say whether or not a blackmailer will follow through with their threats. It all depends on the type of criminal you are dealing with. Some are far more vicious than others and will not hesitate to expose victims’ content if their demands are not met. Others will try to “play nice” and give you a few days to come up with the money.
However, that does not mean they will not follow through with their demands. They might continue to harass you until you pay up. The bottom line is that you can never trust whether or not these criminals will expose your content. They will do everything they can to get what they want, even if that means jeopardizing people’s lives and reputations.
How Widespread Is Sextortion on Facebook?
Facebook has transformed into a hub of online activity, offering functions like Marketplace, Dating, and Groups for community building. However, all these features have also provided scammers with more ways to lure in potential victims. A key statistic comes from a 2024 sextortion study from Digital Forensics Corp.
The private security firm analyzed 1,000 sextortion cases in late December 2024. Of the sextortion cases that originated on social media platforms, 42% of them were traced back to Facebook. Sextortion has become one of the fastest-growing cyber threats, and Facebook is one of the primary platforms used to commit the crime.
How Quickly Does Facebook Respond to Sextortion?
Facebook has strict policies against blackmail and sextortion and can often respond to complaints of the crime. The platform has also implemented machine learning technology to detect and remove profiles engaging in inappropriate behavior before a user notifies the administrators. Because of this, perpetrators will try to navigate to private messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. These platforms have less oversight and provide the criminal more freedom to conduct blackmail or sextortion.
Facebook allows users to submit a blackmailer report through built-in reporting tools. Once submitted, cases involving threats, non-consensual intimate images, or exploitation are typically prioritized. In many cases, accounts are reviewed within hours to a few days. Facebook has taken many steps to fight intimate image abuse, but one of the most effective initiatives was supporting tools that proactively prevent the spread of intimate content.
How Facebook Is Addressing the Rise in Sextortion
In 2017, Meta partnered with Thorn to launch ‘Stop Sextortion’, a guide for sextortion victims, and to create educational articles about sextortion on Facebook’s Safety Center. The company also co-founded Lantern, the first cross-platform signal-sharing program for online services to improve enforcement of child safety policies.
Additionally, Meta co-founded the Take It Down tool, a platform run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to get rid of and prevent the reposting of CSAM on online platforms. It has also continued to support StopNCII.org, a similar tool created by the Revenge Porn Helpline to help adult victims remove non-consensual intimate images.
To reduce the number of scammers on the platform, Facebook has implemented automated systems to identify and get rid of fake accounts preemptively. In both the second and third quarters of 2024, Meta took action against over a billion fake accounts, many of them created with malicious intent.
Meta is also using investigative methods to discover malicious accounts before they can do harm. In the summer of 2024, Facebook found over 7,000 assets on the platform that were linked to a small group of Nigerian scammers.
How to Stay Protected While Using Facebook
If you are trying to understand how to stop sextortion and blackmail on Facebook, the best defense is proactive protection. Consider implementing the following practices before a threat arises:
- Lock down your account. Make sure your profile is set to private to limit who can view your posts. You can also limit who can send you friend requests by enabling the “Friends of Friends” setting. Lastly, make sure your “Friends List” visibility is set to “Only Me”. These privacy settings lower your risk of being targeted.
- Be cautious with friend requests and messages. Perpetrators will often send unsolicited messages and friend requests to numerous people at once, looking for anyone who will respond.
- Enable two-factor authentication. If your password gets compromised, 2FA protects your account from being taken over. Make sure you have it enabled in your settings for extra protection.
- Stay up to date on cybersecurity. Our blog is full of educational articles that inform internet users of what they need to know about cybercrime. You’ll find valuable resources on how to prevent, respond to, and recover from blackmail, sextortion, and other common scams.
How Law Enforcement Can Stop Blackmail on Facebook
The local authorities are a great resource for victims and can support efforts to stop blackmail or sextortion on Facebook. They can assist you in filing a complaint, documenting the crime, and creating a timeline of events. Some agencies will also investigate the perpetrator’s identity and location. However, police departments only have authority over local jurisdictions. If the cybercriminal is in another state or country, there is little they can do to stop blackmail or sextortion.
That is why you should also notify the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 can track nationwide cybercrime trends and federal agents refer to IC3 reports to launch new investigations. The FBI has jurisdiction over the country and even has connections to international law enforcement agencies.
The Role Private Cybersecurity Firms Can Play in Stopping Sextortion
Private cybersecurity firms have experts that specialize in digital forensics. They can trace the blackmailer’s digital footprint, potentially uncovering their geolocation and, in some cases, their identity. This information can then be used as powerful leverage to stop blackmail on Facebook.
Furthermore, firms can help detect and remove instances of exposure over the internet to mitigate damage to your online reputation. These organizations know what to do if someone blackmails you on Facebook because they have experienced professionals who handle such cybercrime cases.
Get Expert Help If You’re Facing Facebook Blackmail
Blackmail and sextortion should not be handled by victims alone. This type of crime needs to be handled with a specific set of strategies that victims aren’t aware of. We know this is a very difficult situation to be in and how vulnerable you may feel. However, it will not end if you keep silent. Speak out today and get help.
If you are a victim wondering how to deal with Facebook blackmail, reach out to our 24/7 Facebook blackmail helpline. Our team of experts can help protect your privacy and work to identify the individual behind the threat.
