Blackmail on the Internet is not just a problem, but something really serious. Hundreds and thousands of people fall into such stories. Participate both men and woman. Blackmailers collect compromising information, create special websites or fake accounts in social networks and fake groups on the Internet. They damage the reputation, bring people to psychosis and suicide… All this is part of our lives.
Unfortunately, this is our reality. Unfortunately, the share of requests for blackmail on the Internet is huge. That is why in this article we provide simple and clear instructions on what and how to do. How to minimize financial and emotional losses if you are blackmailed? How to look for these criminals and how to bring them to justice.
The point of entry, the place of attraction for blackmailers, the places where blackmailers catch their victims on the Internet are social networks, dating sites, Skype, thematic groups, headhunter (men who blackmail women often find their victims there). It’s all about getting compromising material from you. Here swindlers, hackers, criminals turn on all their imagination and any possible methods.
Methods of blackmail on the Internet
There are passive and active methods of blackmail on the Internet.
The only passive option is when your web page is hacked. Сriminals get access to your profile on social networks, to certain photos for internal use. Now your pictures appear on the Internet and blackmail the victim. This is passive blackmail. Nothing is demanded of you. As a rule, the object of such blackmail are celebrities, stars, famous people. Their profiles on Instagram and Facebook can be hacked. Criminals believe that they can get more money from rich and famous people.
Active blackmail is when you deceitfully provide fraudsters with information that compromises you. Your photos, videos – send it to a person you may have never seen in person. For example, a beautiful young girl appeared. You met her on a dating site, in a group, on a social network. She offered to chat on Skype (a similar program that allows video transmission). You agreed. Or she just asked you to send her your nude pics. You took pictures, videos and sent her… Here is the entry point. You’re on the hook!
You are then told that if you do not pay a certain amount, there will be problems. It is important that in the beginning the amount called by fraudsters will be insignificant. It is important for them to touch you at this point. Get at least the first money from you, break through your defenses. This process will never end. They will explain to you, convince you that they will never ask you for any more money… It’s all a lie! They never calm down and always demand more. Having paid once you have already flown into this abyss and swamp.
The bad news is that they probably won’t be found. It is very difficult to look for them (blackmailers). It takes a lot of money or serious law enforcement connections to calculate a blackmailer and knock on his door. Yes, it is possible, it happens. No blackmailer is safe from running into someone who has enough money or influential acquaintances.
If you just report to the police, in all probability, you will not get the level of attention and help you expect.
Second level of scam
Then the person starts to google his problem. He writes “blackmail, what to do.” This is where the second level of scam / deception begins. A person falls into the hands of fraudsters. It can be a site of a fictional structure with a coat of arms, a flag and a similar entourage, which is designed to emphasize the “seriousness” of a service. The site convinces – “we will solve everything”. For 100-200 dollars only today and only for you we will find and punish the blackmailer. This person will crawl up to you and apologize, and we will put him in jail. But such miracles do not happen.
Finding a person who blackmails online requires significant financial resources. But that’s not all. At best, they will take money from you and forget about you. And in the worst case, the second wave will begin. Even if a blackmailer swindles you, the people you hired to allegedly look for the blackmailer may also blackmail you.
Almost everyone who deals with this problem is very afraid, believes that life is over. It is human nature to greatly exaggerate one’s own problems. Imagine that you mention this situation in retrospect, as if it happened a few years ago. Try to look at it from a different angle, try to switch. Remember how many different scandals there were with intimate publications or compromising information about show business stars, politicians, etc. So what? What happened next? Is his career over? Did he stop appearing on stage or singing songs? Was he fired? There is no corpus delicti, no reason for public condemnation.
Things to remembrer not to become a victim of blackmail on the Internet
If you chat on dating sites, do not send anyone and never your intimate photos, do not take or share any videos. If you communicate on social networks or Skype, do it dressed. Do not have virtual sex.
Remember that there is a presumption of deception on the Internet. Everyone you don’t know personally and communicate with on the Internet should be considered a potential thief and blackmailer.
A very important point. Blackmailers are often intimidated not by publicity as such, but by the fact that you have allegedly committed a crime. A very common option is the person with whom you have been a minor. You are called a pedophile, threatened with sexual harassment… Remember that in 100% of cases it is a continuation of fraud. Criminals play hard to get. They can write you on behalf of his / her parents, on behalf of the police. The situation is pumping up around you. The blackmailer will never contact the police. This is excluded. Because first of all actions of swindlers are a crime. As for your actions, nothing has been proven here yet, it is not obvious.How to behave with a blackmailer. And what should I answer? How to behave? The answer is simple: do not give any arguments and do not take any action. All you have to do is blacklist (block) his email address. If he writes to you from another email address, block it as well. That’s all. Attempting to intimidate blackmailers, to write that you have contacted the police or are conducting an inspection is a one-time letter. Then blacklisted. Everything else is a waste of time. Don’t communicate. The sooner you stop any communication, the more likely it is that the blackmailer will not publish anything at all and that will be the end of it.