Our world is full of different ways to abuse power and status, with sexual abuse being, unfortunately, at the top of the list. People suffer from it in all spheres of life: families, businesses, art industry; it is also important to mention that men can also become sextortion victims, although, no doubt, females suffer from it much more often.
To understand how to handle the problem, we must define it and get to its roots. So, what is sextortion?
What Is Sextortion?
There is no need to dive deep to explain what sextortion is, as there are lots of examples right on the surface. The loudest case is the Me Too movement and the huge Hollywood scandal when many actresses claimed that producers and other industry predators requested sexual services in exchange for roles in their projects.
The research by the Basel Institute on Governance classifies sextortion as a type of sexual corruption that involves the misuse of authority to force someone to provide sexual favors in exchange for performing their duties. Unfortunately, it is still not considered a crime officially, but our society is moving in the right direction, canceling and stigmatizing people who support sextortion and use it themselves.
Is Sextortion Common?
Unfortunately, the number of sextortion cases grows every year despite the social disapproval and cancel culture. The loudest sextortion cases with famous names involved get highlighted in the media, and their victims receive all the support they need, but common people do not have any levers of influence.
The most common type of sextortion is the one happening on the internet and resembling cyber blackmailing. Young people (mostly) who have shared their intimate pictures or videos are later requested to pay or send more, otherwise, everything will be shared with their parents/partner/school/classmates/ etc.
The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children issued a report claiming that in the period from 2018 to 2024, the number of sextorted children increased by 400%, while the FBI keeps registering growing numbers of sextortion cases on social media and in the messengers. Officials state that families and friends are the first “line of defense” for their close ones who became victims of cyber sextortion on the internet because the police are helpless, bidden by the laws protecting private life.
Sextortion Tactics
You should be aware of certain red flags to detect social media extortion cases and prevent it before it is too late. Here are some essential recommendations on common sextortion tactics and how to dodge them.
- Think critically. If you see someone with an ideal social media profile contact you on the social network or dating website – be alarmed. In one of the James Bond movies, the 007 agent was revealed because he had a perfect personal file, and the villain said: “He is an agent undercover, his file is too perfect to be true”. Remember this rule and follow it.
- Do not accept random friend requests. It is how blackmailing on social media often starts. Every unknown “friend requestor” should always be a potential scammer for you. Only accept requests from people you already know.
- Do not go beyond. Scammers may often touch on intimate topics and even ask to send nudes. Block such people immediately as something like this happens. Even if they send something provocative themselves to make the situation the same for both of you – run.
- Do not play on their field. Scammers can often ask you to move to a gaming platform or another social network to continue communication. It usually means that you or your data will be more exposed there, so never agree to their requests. If it happens that you start communicating with a stranger online – stay where you are!
- Do not share your data online. Scammers often aim at blackmailing you, so they will check your social networks looking for your address, close friends, maybe parents – anybody they can use to threaten you, saying they will share some compromising data. Do not share your address and data on social network profiles – it is rule №1 of online safety.
It is false and dangerous to think that sextortion may never happen to you or your child, no matter what education and level of life you have. You can become victims of financial sextortion or even be provoked to commit suicide (there are perverts online who enjoy doing this). That is why following the safety guidelines and avoiding strangers on the World Wide Web is essential. We mentioned here the most popular tactics sextortionists use, but they invent new ones daily.
What People Are the Most Vulnerable to Sextortionists?
Children and teens are the easiest group for online blackmail. Plotters may threaten them by sharing their photos/listings with their parents, friends, school peers, teachers, etc. Even adults are vulnerable to such things; what to say about children?
Many children are not aware of the problem at all because they have not been taught about it. Schools do not have classes on “What sextortion is and how to avoid it”, specialists do not communicate with youth on the topic; thus, the latter become easy victims of sextortion scam.
How Do Sextortionists Find Their Victims?
The most popular scheme sextortionists use – pretending to be someone else. They know their victims would never communicate or share something with their real personality; thus, they catfish by creating a false identity their potential victims may be interested in, developing a profile, adding pictures, filling out false personal information, etc. Their main aim is to make their profile look real and catch one on the hook to be able to blackmail them later.
Now, who is exposed to online sextortion? Usually, it is emotionally unstable people who feel their environment does not understand them and seek a helpful shoulder aside. In other words – teenagers. They often have no idea what is sextortion and willingly start communication with strangers who pretend they understand their problems.
Moreover, sextortionists often hide behind teenager profiles, making it even easier for them to start communicating with a child or teenager on sensitive topics and then use threats to get money or something else from them. Unfortunately, such cases often end with suicides if parents do not notice on time that something goes wrong.
What Should I Do If I Face Cyber Blackmail?
It is very important to know what to do if you become a victim of a cyber blackmail scheme, so here are the default guidelines for such situations.
- Whatever threats the sextortionist uses, never send them the files or money they request. Remember, they never stop and always demand more, so sending them what they want will not solve the problem and potentially make it even worse.
- Collect all the evidence of the crime you can: chat logs, photos, e-mails, etc. It is essential to be able to prove that you became a sextortion victim.
- File a report at your local law enforcement office. People are often afraid to go to the police, but it is the only correct decision; share all the information and sexually explicit materials that were used in the conversation and provide all the additional information that might be useful.
- Change all your passwords and activate 2FA wherever it is possible.
How to Protect Your Children from Sextortion?
Parents need to know how to stop sextortion if it happens to their kids. The key here, of course, is communication. Children who feel they are loved and respected by their families are much more likely to become sextortion victims as they would not have those triggers that allow criminals to get them. However, there are some additional methods you can use.
Phone Tracker Apps
Parental controls are a great means to ensure that your child is not a sextortion victim, and if they are – to take the needed steps on time. uMobix, for instance, is a great phone tracker for modern parents that allows you to check your child’s Facebook and Instagram messages secretly, not breaking their privacy directly. Sextortionists often use grooming tactic that requires some time to gain the victim’s trust, so if parents notice what is happening on time and take the required actions.
Talk to Your Children
Talk to your children and explain what is sextortion. Do not wait until they read about it online or hear from classmates. In such a way, you will start building trust with your loved one and increase the chances that if something happens in their life, they will share it with you more willingly rather than start looking for support from strangers on the internet.
Do Not Register Your Kids Online
Try to postpone the moment your children join Insta or FB as much as possible. Nurture them in a healthy environment of love and support and explain to them how dangerous social networks may be and what can happen there (sextortion, financial scams, catfishing, etc.). Only allow them to register when you know they are aware and armed.
Final Word
Unfortunately, there is no 100% relevant guide on how to deal with social media blackmail; each situation should be considered individually. Children, obviously, are the primary aim for sextortionist hacks, but you should also be aware that the same things can happen in real life and even to adults (remember Hollywood scandals). The best way to dodge sextortion is to be aware of it and be psychologically strong. It is almost impossible for a sextortionist to reach a psychologically stable and happy individual. Thus, simply said, the best way to ensure someone is safe from sextortion is to make them happy.
FAQ
If a stranger contacts you on the internet and tries to discuss intimate and personal topics with you, you should be alarmed and block them immediately. It is a good practice to communicate online only with the people you know personally.
Those who start blackmail pornography scams are subject to the same rules and laws as any other blackmailer or scammer. Of course, it all depends on your local rules and laws, but generally, every modern country has special legalization for such cases. First, you must fill out the police claim and consult with your lawyer. After this, you will be contacted by a special officer who deals with cases similar to yours and knows all the legal basis.
Easily! The scammer may threaten you by contacting your parents, friends, teachers, etc., and sharing your private conversations and pictures. Unfortunately, modern society functions in a way where blackmail victims often get judgment from people instead of support, and scammers use this "feature" perfectly
Collect all the conversations and media you exchanged with the blackmailer and go to the police! It is important not to do anything the blackmailer requests and not pay anything. Let the law enforcers do their job!
If you notice your child behaves suspiciously, install parental control tools on their devices and talk to them. Explain what sextortion is just in case and why it is important to report such cases instead of following all the blackmailer's requirements.
The scheme is the same – collect all the evidence and go to the police. Chances are you get what you paid back, or the scammer gets caught. Blackmailers almost never stop after the first payment and continue requesting more, so gather all the evidence and go to the police!
