Sextortion (Blackmail)

Sextortion scams follow primary pathways designed to manipulate and instill fear in targets.

How Sextortion Scams Unfold:

• The Catfishing Method: Scammers create fake profiles to build trust, coerce victims into sharing explicit media, and immediately threaten to expose the media unless a ransom is paid.
• The Grooming Method: Rather than money, the scammer uses the threat of exposure to exert control and demand increasingly graphic material.
• "Phantom Dirt" Method: The threat is entirely fabricated. Scammers claim they’ve hacked your webcam or browsing activity (often including an old password from a data breach to look credible) and demand cryptocurrency.

Red Flags:

• A new contact moves too fast and pressures you for explicit content.
• Refusal to show their face on a live video call.
• Emails with shocking subject lines containing old passwords, making generic claims without actual proof.

What to Do if You Are a Victim:

• Stop All Communication: Block the scammer immediately.
• DO NOT PAY: Giving them money marks you as a willing target and rarely stops the threats.
• Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of all conversations and demands.
• Report the Scammer: Report the incident to the platform, tell someone you trust, and contact the FBI's IC3.
• For "Phantom Dirt": Do not reply, mark the email as spam, delete it, and change any compromised passwords.