Choosing to immediately block a blackmailer is largely recommended by various sources. It’s an easy way to shut out the threat and stop any further contact. However, what those sources leave out is the potentially devastating consequences of deciding to block a scammer. Ignoring or blocking your blackmailer can worsen the situation and often leads to catastrophic ramifications. This is why one of the main questions victims should consider is: “Should I block a sextortionist?”
Understanding the Psychology of a Sextortionist
It’s difficult to predict the behavior of a sextortionist. However, there are patterns worth noting. Many blackmailers work in organized groups. They coordinate their attempts to lure victims into sharing explicit content, often using other group members in their schemes. These networks work together to broaden their reach, targeting more victims and maximizing financial gain. Many groups are based in countries facing economic challenges like Nigeria, Thailand, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic. While sextortionists are interested in money, they’re also partially motivated by the power of having leverage over the victim. Most perpetrators have little regard for their victims’ well-being, using devastating exposure as a coercive weapon.
Should I Block a Sextortionist? What Experts Say
According to a report by Thorn, Instagram and Snapchat are some of the most popular platforms for sextortion. Those platforms also have tools to report and block a blackmailer if need be. This is a common response for sextortion victims, and it’s also a recommended action by many reputable sources. However, deciding to block a blackmailer can lead to disastrous results. In many cases, blocking a blackmailer provokes them and triggers a retaliatory response. This can lead to exposure just to spite their victims. On top of that, you’ll be unable to monitor what the blackmailer is doing once they are blocked.
Preserve the Evidence Before Choosing to Block a Blackmailer
If you decide to block a blackmailer, it’s important to save the evidence of the crime first. Blocking a user on many platforms can delete the correspondence from the perpetrator, which can remove evidence of the crime. Before blocking the user, you need to take screenshots of messages, the profiles involved, and anything else that’s relevant. So, when it comes to the question, “Should I block a sextortionist?”, our experts have less risky methods of responding. However, it is always an option if you feel that is best.
How Our Experts Recommend Responding If You’re a Victim of Sextortion
If you’re still asking, “Should I block a sextortionist?”, our team has more effective steps you can take. At Digital Forensic Corp., we help thousands of sextortion victims every year. Our team has seen the various ways that victims have responded to being targeted, whether it was effective or not. Based on our experience and expertise, we’ve created a guide to help victims of sextortion avoid escalating the situation. Take a look at the following steps if you want to minimize the risk of exposure when facing sextortion.
Stay calm
It’s understandable to panic when someone is threatening to expose your explicit images or videos. However, blackmailers are relying on you losing your composure to make a rash decision. Instead, take a breath and refer to cybercrime experts on how you should proceed to best protect yourself.
Save the Evidence
As previously mentioned, preserving evidence of sextortion is essential. Messages can change or be deleted so it’s important to document your evidence immediately. Take screenshots of the threatening messages, the perpetrator’s profile, and record other pertinent information. You don’t, however, need to preserve your own private explicit content.
Use Delay Tactics
Sextortionists use urgent deadlines to force victims into making a hasty decision. If demands are not met by that time, they threaten exposure. Our experts recommend that victims use delay tactics to push the deadline further back. Delay tactics are excuses that force the perpetrator to postpone before they can make good on their threat. These tactics help you buy time while you seek assistance from cybercrime experts or law enforcement. Here are some common examples:
- “I need to wait until my next payday.”
- “I need time to gather the money.”
- “I created a crypto account, but I have to wait a few days until my account gets verified.”
Never comply
Giving in to the sextortionist’s demands will not put an end to the blackmail. It only communicates that you have the means and willingness to comply with their threats. You should never comply with a perpetrator, no matter the threat.
Report the Blackmailer to the Platform
Many platforms have a feature allowing users to report accounts that violate community standards. Facebook, for example, allows you to report a profile for “Threatening to share my nudes” or being a “Fake profile.” Reporting accounts can lead to the removal of the cybercriminal’s profile, saving other users from becoming victims. Most reporting tools are also anonymous which protects victims that use the feature.
Notify the Authorities
We also recommend reporting sextortion to your local police. The authorities can help you file an official report, documenting the crime for future legal action. They can also help you with the next steps, including a potential investigation into the criminal responsible. You should also report sextortion to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The FBI’s authority is not limited to local jurisdictions, and they also track cybercrime trends across the country.
Should I Block a Sextortionist or Not? A Real-Life Case Study
A college student was messaged by a woman on Facebook that was around the same age and in a similar area. The woman showed interest in the man, and they developed a relationship over the next few days. The conversation quickly turned sexual, and the woman suggested exchanging explicit images. Once the victim sent his image, the sextortionist dropped the façade and demanded money in exchange for keeping the images private. The victim panicked and paid the perpetrator twice. However, upon the third demand for money, he decided it was time to block the blackmailer. Unfortunately, the criminal retaliated by posting the images on a Facebook page filled with his classmates and professor. He quickly took action to remove the image from the page, but some classmates were exposed to the image.
A Safer Alternative to Blocking: Working with DFC Experts
While there are many practices that can help reduce your risk of exposure, the best way to stop the sextortion is to work with Digital Forensic Corp. Our experts offer more than just privacy protection; we work to protect victims in any way we can. We immediately detect and remove any posting of your private images or videos without consent, mitigating damage. Our team also takes the fight to the sextortionists. We regularly trace the perpetrator’s digital footprint, unmasking their geolocation and, in some cases, their identity. Our investigation can serve as digital evidence to be used to support future legal action or proceedings. If you are a victim of sextortion, contact our Sextortion Helpline for expert help. We are available 24/7 and always ready to support victims.
