Victims of sextortion experience a flood of thoughts and emotions while reading the threats on their screen. One question that is universally asked is, “Should I block a sextortionist?” The answer is mixed among online responses. Search results often deliver a decisive “Yes”, but doing so can potentially leave you in ruin. Blocking serves as an immediate means of cutting them off, but it won’t remove their ability to expose you. Keep reading to learn if you should block a scammer.
Online advice often tells you to block a sextortionist immediately, but be careful with it
Should You Block a Sextortionist?
Our experts advise against blocking a sextortionist — at least right away. Many people think that blocking is an effective method for preventing further abuse. After all, blocking the perpetrator removes their access to your account.
However, this does not guarantee your attacker will not be able to reach you entirely. Blackmailers don’t always give up if you ignore them and may follow through on their threats. Furthermore, the negative ramifications of blocking can far outweigh any benefits of blocking.
Why Do So Many Results Suggest Blocking?
Many resources, especially AI-fueled responses, suggest blocking the sextortionist. This advice stems from the idea that a blackmailer can hurt you if they can’t reach you. Unfortunately, limiting a cybercriminal is not as simple as clicking block. What seems like a simple solution could actually expediate the scam. Where these suggestions and others based on them fall short, we are here to mend the gaps.
Potential Ramifications of Blocking
After asking yourself, “Should I block a sextortionist?”, the natural follow-up question is “Why shouldn’t I block a sextortionist?” Below are the reasons our analysts advise against it.
Loss of Evidence
If you block a scammer, you run the risk of permanently deleting critical evidence. As we will cover below, the entire interaction holds valuable evidence. You can use this data to identify the perpetrator and hold them accountable.
Blocking their account will delete the conversation and any evidence it contains. Even digital forensics professionals might be unable to retrieve this data.
Retaliation
Some suggest you block a sextortionist because they believe they will simply move on to a more willing victim. While this does happen, there are also cases with less appealing results. Cybercriminals are unpredictable and may act irrationally if they feel they are losing control. The perpetrator may have personal motives, such as a disgruntled former partner.
Some victims may read this and feel undeterred by the risk of exposure. However, it’s important to understand that risk does exist. You should consider the suggested path of stalling for time and seeking professional assistance.
Left in the Dark
This is arguably the worst consequence if you block a scammer. Blocking them leaves you completely unaware if they decide to follow through on their threats. The stress of not knowing can be as detrimental to your wellbeing as the fallout from potential exposure. Furthermore, it can elongate the exposure since you will be unable to respond if you don’t know it occurred.
Real-World Consequences of Blocking a Scammer
In one case shared to Reddit, an anonymous WhatsApp user was being targeted by a scammer on the platform. They expressed that the platform issued some warning after they selected the block option. However, they were not made aware the entire chat would be deleted. The user noted irony in WhatsApp support’s suggestion to report the instance to law enforcement after deleting the evidence.
Another user detailed an experience that included a barrage of spoofed texts and calls after blocking a scammer. These included messages designed to appear as if they came from a fellow victim of the scammer. The onslaught came just moments after blocking the scammer. These are just a couple examples of how blocking the perpetrator can worsen the victim’s situation.
What Do Our Experts Suggest Instead of Blocking?
We’ve told you that the answer to “Should I block a sextortionist?” is no. You are now probably wondering what you should do instead. Don’t worry, we have you covered. Our experts recommend you take the following response toward sextortionist, blackmailers, and other online scammers.
Use Delay Tactics
At this point, you understand that you should never pay a sextortionist. However, you want the sextortionist to believe that you are willing to cooperate. If the sextortionist believes they cannot get money out of you, they may release your content in retaliation. This is why our experts suggest using delay tactics. They allow you to maintain contact without divulging any further funds or information.
The key to a good delay tactic is to be creative, yet realistic. You will want enough details that it doesn’t sound like a lie off the top of your head. However, too many minute details can make your claim feel scripted. Some phrases you can use to buys yourself some time include:
- “I don’t get paid until Friday.”
- “I need time to gather funds/sell items.”
- “My account is frozen, and the bank said it could take a few days.”
- “I tried setting up a crypto wallet and it will take a few days to verify.”
Secure Your Network
Regardless of what information the blackmailer has, you’ll want to make sure your device and accounts haven’t been compromised. Check your network for any unusual or unauthorized behavior. You should also run a reputable malware scan on your devices.
Additionally, take time to increase the privacy settings on any online accounts that the perpetrator could access. You should regularly update all of your passwords and use strong, unique passwords for each account. Use two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever it’s available for an extra layer of protection.
Collect Evidence
You will need proof of the crime that has been committed against you. Take the time you’ve gained through delay tactics to record the details of the attack. You should store this evidence on a separate, secure device. Name the files in a way that allows you to easily identify what each piece of evidence represents.
You should document the following variables of the crime:
- The profile or contact information of the perpetrator.
- Any images, files, attachments, or other content that was shared.
- Any threatening or relevant messages.
- Timestamps of when these exchanges occurred.
This may pose issues to individuals handling the investigation on their own. There is often crucial evidence that is inaccessible to the average internet user. It can be a huge help to seek the services of professional cyber investigators.
Get The Help You Need
Cybersecurity experts can help you gather evidence hidden within the code of your online interactions. They use proprietary tools and technology to execute techniques like IP tracking and metadata analysis. This can uncover critical evidence such as the geolocation, device network, and identity of the criminal.
Furthermore, expert cyber investigators will ensure your evidence is properly collected, documented, and preserved. They follow a strict chain of custody to maintain the integrity of their report. Each step is documented so the findings of the report are admissible as evidence in legal proceedings.
At Cyber Investigation Inc., we base our advice on our experience handling these cases. We recommend that you avoid blocking the scammer if you plan to proceed with a professional investigation. If you plan to handle the case alone, we still suggest you collect evidence before blocking. It’s ultimately your decision, and you should act as you see fit.
