What are Sextortion Scams?
Sextortion scams include malicious activities in which scammers trick you into revealing explicit content about you and your near ones. After that they blackmail you and threaten that they will make your intimate and explicit content public unless you pay them a ransom. Scammers play with your emotions, feelings, insecurities, and relationship vulnerabilities to do the sextortion. They approach you and claim that they have some of your explicit content with them in the form of video, photos, and messages. They threaten to publish the information on public platforms and share it with your friends and family members. Anyone who listens to this, will act impulsively. In such situations, victims often act in the heat of the moment and end up getting scammed. But before you realize the mistake it is too late. The scammers take your money and the sensitive details they want and leave you in the dark.
How Can You Identify Sextortion in the First Place?
Scammers follow a common pattern and approach you and trick you into falling in their trap. They appear to be good and sexually attractive individuals who are looking for an interested person who can be involved with them and fulfill their sexual fantasies. To further convince their target they share nudes, explicit videos and live strips on the camera with the victims. During all these activities they videograph the victim, collect their messages and voice record the chats. Once they are successful in recording you and having explicit information about you they use it against you to do the sextortion. But you can prevent this situation if you identify the scam before it is too late. So, here are some signs that help you identify sextortion in the first place:
Sudden Message
You receive a message or email from an unknown person and they claim that they have explicit photos and videos of you.
They Threaten to Expose You
They claim to have your photos, videos and messages which they threaten to expose you unless you pay them money.
Payment Via Cryptocurrency
Scammers demand you to pay them the ransom money using cryptocurrency to prevent the leakage of your private information.
They Mention a Password You’ve Used
To further scare you and provoke them to take action they might show you your sensitive credentials to show that they have hacked your webcam and account.
They Act Fast and Put Pressure on You
Scammers act fast and bombard you with lots of threats and provocations to put pressure on you. Things move so fast that you have no time to think clearly or ask for help.
They Refuse to Prove Anything
If you ask the scammer to prove what they are speaking of then you get no answer on it. They will send fake images to bluff you and scare you.
You Met Them Online
Scammers always use social media, dating apps, games and similar virtual platforms to approach you. They gain your trust and quickly push you into sharing private content.
Pretend to be Someone You Trust
Scammers create fake profiles and pretend to be someone you trust such as a classmate, friend, or someone from your childhood you forgot about. They try to reconnect with you saying you have grown cute lastly. They just want to video chat with you.
Move on Private Platform
They start talking to you on instagram but all of a sudden ask you to move to a private platform like snapchat, whatsapp and instagram. These platforms provide them a safe hiding.
Move on Private Platform
They start talking to you on instagram but all of a sudden ask you to move to a private platform like snapchat, whatsapp and instagram. These platforms provide them a safe hiding.
Flip Conversation Quickly
When they start it is all flirty and jolly conversation but all of a sudden it turns into blackmail. All of a sudden they start threatening to share more.
They Send Edited or Fake Videos
Scammers will send you edited and doctored videos and images involving you in an obscene activity to scare you and coerce you into doing what they want.
Threaten You to Keep Quiet
Bad actors often shush the victims off about their experiences and threaten to malign their reputation if they lodge any complaint against them.
What to do If You Come Across Sextortion Scam?
Scammers try to hoax you and scare you by revealing your private media files to the public and demand pay off from you then never comply with them at any cost. Extortion of money is their last aim why they are doing all of this. If you deny them paying money they will become desperate and helpless in front of you. Never pay them a single penny no matter what comes. Along with this here are some effective tips that help you protect against sextortion:
Don’t Panic. Breathe First
Scammers want you to freak out and take wrong steps in a hurry to trap you in their snare. But you have to stay calm and take necessary steps. Remember they are just bluffing and trying to manipulate you into revealing private information. They have nothing about you in actual fact that they are making claims. So keep calm and act cautiously.
Do Not Respond
Second most important thing you need to do is to stop replying to the chats and messages. Do not send any content, any money or answer to the queries. If you reply and answer each and every query then it makes you look vulnerable and scared that further embolden the cybercriminals to exploit you and get more information from you. If you stop responding to the queries you can render the attackers helpless.
Take Screenshots
You must collect as much information about your scammer as possible. To do so you must take screenshots of the messages, usernames, emails, threats, photos and everything they sent to you. It will serve you as evidence that can help you find and report the incident to the concerning authorities.
Block and Report the Scammer
When it is clear to you that someone is trying to blackmail you and extort money and important information from you then you must block them on every platform they contact you on. After this you should report their profile and account to the same site or app as scam or fraud. Most online platforms and social media apps provide you with an option using which you can report this type of incidents as spam and insecure. After this the involved platform will take appropriate action to block the user and further investigate the matter.
Tell Someone You Trust
If you ever come across any such situation then it is highly necessary that you speak of it with someone you trust and ask for their help. You don’t need to carry this all alone and suffer this all alone. People who live around you will come to your help and save you from unnecessary troubles. Sharing with the trusted ones will support you mentally and emotionally.
Protect Your Devices
Scammers use malware, phishing and different types of cyber attacks to breach your online security and hack your device and accounts running in it. Hence, it is highly recommended that you secure your device installing a robust antivirus software. After this, run a deep system scan to find out if something weird or malicious program is hiding inside your device. Along with this keep your apps, devices, browsers and operating system up-to-date.
What If I Have Already Paid the Scammer?
If you have already paid the scammer then make sure you do not do it again. They will keep asking for more if you paid them at first. Next stop replying to them and block them from contacting you. After this you should the following:
Save the Evidence
Take screenshots of:
- Chats or emails
- Payment details (like transaction receipts)
- Threats or demands
This will help you if you report it to the police or the platform
Report the Scam
You must report the scam to the concerned authorities not just to protect you but protect others. You should report the incident to your local police or cybercrime unit to get the instant solution for your problems.
Inform Your Bank or Platform
If you send money using online banking then contact your bank and raise a dispute and report the transaction as fraud. The bank will flag the transaction as fraud and reverse it. This will help you get your money back. But if you used crypto currency to pay the amount then it is really hard to recover your money. The network won’t be able to track the transaction and reverse it. But they can:
- Flag the scammer
- Help in future investigations
- Secure your account
Strengthen Your Security
- Change all passwords linked to the account you used
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Update your device security and scan for malware
How to Prevent Sextortion?
They say prevention is better than cure. So is the case with the sextortion scams. You can protect yourself from the malicious actors laying traps for you by being alert and practicing cautiousness during your online interactions. Here are some effective tips that help you prevent sextortion scams:
Think Before You Share
- Never share nude or explicit photos online even with someone you trust.
- Screenshots and screen recordings can happen without your consent.
- Once it’s out there, it’s hard to recover something before you share anything online.
Protect Your Privacy
- Keep your social media accounts private and protected with unique and strong passwords.
- Do not post personal info like your school, workplace, address, or phone number.
- Be careful who you accept friend requests or DMs from / if it feels off, trust your gut.
Enhance Your Digital Security
- Set strong passwords and don’t reuse them across sites.
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever you can.
- Update your apps, devices, and antivirus software regularly.
Be Wary of Strangers Online
- If someone you don’t know starts a flirty or romantic chat, it might be a trap.
- Many sextortion scammers pretend to be someone they’re not even using fake videos or deep fakes.
- If it escalates too fast, or they start asking for pics, stop immediately.
Cover Your Webcam
- When not in use, cover your camera with a sticker or slide cover.
- Some scammers can hack your webcam, better safe than sorry.
Talk Openly with Trusted People
- If you’re a teen, talk to your parents, teacher, or counselor about online safety.
- If you’re older, check in with friends or your community when something feels off.
- Shame thrives in silence, don’t go through it alone.
Know the Red Flags
- Fast-moving online romances
- Requests for explicit photos or videos
- Threats to expose your images
- Demands for money or gift cards
- If you see these signs, back away fast and report it.
Be a Supportive Friend
If someone confides in you about sextortion:
- Don’t blame or shame them
- Help them report it
- Remind them it’s not their fault
- Being a kind listener can make a huge difference.
How Can I Save My Little Ones From Sextortion Scammers?
Children are innocent and anyone can beguile them with fake promises to do things which can end up in embarrassing situations and sextortion. Hence, it is highly important that you pay special attention to your little ones if they are browsing the internet and using social media platforms to interact with strangers online. Scammers can easily manipulate little ones and steal money from them. So, I must always talk to them and discuss these issues with them so that they can remain safe from online scams! Here are some effective ways that can help you save your little ones from sextortion scams:
Talk to Your Children
It is highly important that you protect your children from online threats and unwanted embarrassment. You need to make them safe by teaching them about the hidden dangers. Start a conversation with them and use apt language and keep things casual to discuss these sensitive issues with your children.
Know What They’re Using
If your children are using any apps to communicate online then you need to keep track of all their activities and look for whom they are interacting with. Check what type of messages and videos they are sharing with their friends. Scammers can pretend to be close friends of your kids using fake profiles. So make sure you know what they are using and what types of activities they are involved in while they are using digital devices.
Use Parental Controls Wisely
To protect your little ones from unseen online dangers it is important that you enable parental controls and content filters on devices and Wi-Fi. Monitor their screen time and online activity to keep them safe from scammers and malicious content on the internet channels.
Teach Them to Keep Things Private
Scammers attack innocent children and easily manipulate them to share private details. It is an obligation on you that you teach them to keep things private and never share personal information like age, address, parent details and their business details with strangers. Sharing these details with strangers can land you in big trouble.
Teach Them to Keep Things Private
Teach kids the red flags:
- Someone asks for photos or videos
- They’re told to keep chats a secret
- A person they don’t know tries to get close very fast
- Someone makes threats if they don’t send more
If any of these happen then tell them they should come to you right away. No blame, no panic. If they dont report these issues with you then tell them they will be in big trouble.
Be a Safe Space
Make it clear: You’re on their side, no matter what. If they ever mess up or fall for a trick, remind them it’s not their fault. What matters is getting help fast and staying safe together. Be supportive and nice to your little ones so that they can open up with you and stay safe from the unseen dangers lurking online.
Final Thoughts
If you are using online dating sites to find your special one and fix a date then it is highly important to go with caution while you are doing so. Do not share your intimate media files with anyone while you are interacting online. It can land you in huge trouble that can cost you big down the line. Make sure you stay alert and patient in interacting with the people online. Do not reveal your social media or device credentials with anyone. Use only trusted apps and online channels to interact with people online. Don’t go fast and be quick revealing everything about you with strangers on the internet. Be extra careful while going live on a webcam with someone you don’t know. These are small safety practices that can save you from big troubles.
