Last Updated on July 7, 2023
What to do if someone blackmails you online? This is a common question if you’re a victim of online blackmail. In This article we’ll give you the answers you are looking for.
That last match you got on Tinder was pretty exciting. She asked to chat with you on Snapchat. That must mean things are getting serious! She sends you some of her ‘private’ photos. You send some back…and then things go wrong. She’s demanding money. Your trust turned against you. If you don’t pay then she’ll release the content to your friends, family – or worse.
If this situation applies to you, keep on reading. Thanks to the anonymity that the age of computers has afforded the world. This type of criminal activity has seen a sharp upturn in recent years. It has become widespread. It can be difficult to deal with blackmail by yourself. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help protect you and your personal information.
WHAT IS ‘SEXTORTION’
Online Sextortion is one of the most common forms of online blackmail in our time. It is a situation where a party online lures in potential victims with promises of romantic or sexual attention with the intent to use a victim’s personal pictures against them. This is accomplished through both social engineering and disguise. Very often perpetrators will add the friends of a potential victim on the social media platform.
Once a potential victim is lured into believing this person can be considered a trusted friend. The perpetrator will often turn conversations to romantic or even sexually explicit topics. In order to obtain private pictures – they will often send intimate images of ‘themselves’. Typically images are stolen from others. who have been victimized. Once the blackmailer obtained media, he starts to demand money
Note, there is a slight difference between sextortion and the form of online blackmail known as ‘revenge porn’. Though there are similarities and one can often resemble the other. Revenge porn is typically perpetrated by parties the victim knows personally in real life. Sextortion – typically happens with parties that have online presences only. No matter which way you look at it. Blackmail is a crime – and if you’re experiencing it, you are a victim.
WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE BLACKMAILS YOU ONLINE?
Some experts recommend blocking a blackmailer. Other recommends not cutting communication off immediately. The argument can be made that either way. There is a 50% chance that the former option may upset a perpetrator. This can lead to releasing your media. Keep communication to a bare minimum with the perpetrator until otherwise instructed.
If you have found yourself in a situation like those we’ve described above, finding help or resources can seem difficult. What To Do If Someone Blackmails You – quick tips from the cyber investigators:
5 EASY STEPS TO DO IF BEENG BLACKMAILED ONLINE
- Do Not Pay the Blackmail – Paying some or all of the blackmailer’s demand is not only a bad idea. It actively signals to a blackmailer that you have money and are willing, meaning they can come back for more. Save yourself this by not paying them their ransom.
- Secure Your Social Media and Online Accounts – What To Do If Someone Blackmails You on Social Media? Set your profiles and accounts to only display as little information as possible. Social networking is one of a blackmailer’s largest weapons. If they cannot access your friends lists or followers, they have less ammunition to throw at you. Consider putting a sticker over your webcam. Some forms of blackmail you may experience involves video that was ‘stolen’ off your device while chatting.
- Report the Blackmail to Law Enforcement – file a police report with your local law enforcement agency. It can help you document the event. Follow this up with filing a report with the FBI’s IC3. Doing this step will ensure that you are on-record as the victim of these crimes.
- Address Any Damages –You could stall for time flawlessly. Perhaps even paid the blackmail before reading our guide. But your media was still sent out or posted online. There are steps you can take if your content was posted online publicly. For example – contacting website domains that have the content or contacting Google to scrub search results.
SEEK EXPERT HELP TO STOP BLACKMAILERS
The last but not the least what you can do is to seek expert help
- Seek Expert Help. Because most law enforcement agencies are ill-equipped to deal with cyber-crimes. Taking matters into your own hands may seem like a tempting option. There are groups that can offer help in alleviating your situation.
Now you know What To Do If Someone Blackmails You online. Taking these steps will help you defend yourself. Our company treats crimes like these very seriously. Especially with their proliferation in recent history. If you need expert help with a case of sextortion, reach out to us at our sextortion helpline We’re available 24/7 to support you!
