Will Facebook Blackmailers Really Send Your Info to Friends and Family?
If you are the focus of these threats, you are probably living in fear - or dread - of what may happen if you refuse to comply with their demands. Are they actually going to send the pictures? What lengths will they go to smear your image?
We wrote this post for you to navigate this situation! But if you are blackmailed on Facebook, fear not.
What Is the Chance They'll Actually Send the Pictures?
The first question you’re probably asking yourself is - if I ignore their threats, how likely is it they will send this material to my friends and family?
The short answer is: it's unlikely, but possible.
The vast majority of online blackmailers are looking to make a quick buck. They are opportunists, sending menacing messages to large numbers of people in hopes that a few are scared enough to pay.
The average risk of blackmailers publishing the data anywhere if no response is given at all is around 30 percent. But that odds spikes when you try to communicate, or give them a reward, which reinforces the behavior. But if you are represented by an attorney, or if law enforcement intercedes on your side, the odds plummet.
You Have Options to Protect Yourself
Finding out that you have been targeted with a social media blackmail threat can leave you feeling helpless and on edge. Following are steps you can take to make it less likely the blackmailer will follow through:
1. Get a lawyer: Use an attorney to answer the blackmailer for you. So you want them to know you are serious about proceeding against them if they disclose the information.
2. Do not engage with the blackmailer: Yes, it is counterintuitive, but any sort of response - even “no” - will only encourage the blackmailer to continue to go after you. Cut off all communication.
3. Tighten your privacy settings: Check all of your Facebook privacy settings and limit the visibility of your profile and posts.
4. Do not give them cash: Paying off blackmailers just empowers them, and they’ll come back to you for more.
5. Block them: If the blackmailer has contacted you on Facebook, Instagram or any other platforms, block them.
If you take these actions quickly, they will most of the time bring the blackmail to a halt as soon as they see you will not be an easy prey.
Be Proactive About Securing Your Online Presence
You can’t stop online criminals from trying to get you, but there’s much you can do to reduce your appeal as a target:
1. Watch what you send out into the ether: Never share compromising images or information with anyone you do not know and trust 100 percent. The unscrupulous might use such things.
2. Audit your social media accounts: Use the strictest privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other sites to restrict who can see your posts and profile.
3. Google Yourself Regularly: Type your name into a search engine every few months to see what can be found about you publicly on the internet, and then attempt to remove anything that might be too personal.
4. Reset your password frequently: Get new passwords every 60-90 days on all your significant accounts and use reliable usage passwords. Enable two-factor authentication where available.
Although we cannot all completely avoid scandal, being conscious of your online persona will help you if some amoral person decides he is going to dig up blackmail material on you down the road - you’ll be a less appealing mark.
If You Are Being Harassed, Contact Legal Counsel
A lawyer reaching out to the blackmailer on your behalf is a great way to make it clear that you aren’t going to interact with them any further, especially after being blocked they continue to contact you for money with threats.
For most blackmailers, a lawyer will be a sufficient wake-up call - it sends the message that you plan to take legal action (or have a lawyer take it) if they follow through with extortion or harassment. Or, this snuffs out the problem fast.
Some thoughts on hiring a lawyer:
· Seek the guidance of a lawyer who specializes in cybercrime, privacy invasions and extortion claims. They recognize how to behave correctly.
· Ask if they would advise reporting the harassment to police. They will guide you on what to do next.
Exploring your options legally is a strong ally to you and cost little of you to stop the blackmailer's threats.
