Every person has a weak point, and the extortionist is looking for such a “control pedal” for his own benefit. Blackmail is real psychological terror, for which the law provides for real punishment. But, even with all the protection of citizens by law, anyone can become its victim, because on the World Wide Web, blackmailers and hackers operate very skillfully on the Internet.
Psychology of blackmail
In order to be well prepared for a meeting with swindlers, and to know what to do when blackmailed, you should first understand the psychology of this phenomenon. Power over the victim! This is the whole effect of extortion, so the threat of blackmail acts as the main lever of pressure, which allows you to drive the victim into a corner and subjugate him, forcing him to carry out orders for his own benefit. Basically, blackmailers do not stop once they get what they want, and continue to oppress the person, demand fulfillment of their desires and enrich themselves at his expense further.
Emotional blackmail
One of the forms of everyday manipulation is energy vampirism and emotional blackmail, which boils down to only one thing - to get what you want by any means necessary. Most families have such relatives. Threats and reproaches fly from their lips, pursuing one goal. And almost everyone succumbs to such “persuasions,” not suspecting that they themselves are elevating themselves to the rank of a victim of blackmail.
There are three types of emotional tormentors:
- "Tyrant"
demands unquestioning obedience. He acts harshly, is stubborn and assertive in achieving his goal, without giving the victim the slightest chance of refusal. Rough treatment with threats: “Just try not to do ...” or “I’m warning you for the last time ...”, lead the victim into a state of emotional oppression and depression. - "The Sufferer"
. This type of blackmailer is the exact opposite of the first. Feigned weakness, sickness, and depression force caring relatives to follow their lead. Often, sad speeches end with statements about a serious illness or desire to die, planned suicide, or the phrase “no one loves me, no one understands me, no one cares about me,” in order to achieve the fulfillment of the energy vampire’s demands. - “Guilty without guilt
. Such blackmailers are subtle psychologists who are capable of instilling in their victims the idea of some kind of guilt or a sense of duty to them. The “guilty” practically drive themselves into such bondage and believe that they are doing everything right, indulging the whims of the blackmailer.
Sexual blackmail
Sexual blackmail can also occur in relationships between people, but it is divided into several types:
- Blackmail in relationships
. He is temperamental, she is not so much. As a result of the dissimilarity of temperaments, sooner or later an ultimatum will arise: “if not with you, then with someone else.” In such a situation, relationships, as a rule, are doomed to failure, because under constant pressure, intimate intimacy will only lead to irritation and disgust. - Forcing sex under pressure
. This is a common scenario in most relationships started on dating sites or at parties. As a rule, men act as blackmailers in such a situation, demanding intimacy from women, and the latter may agree without much desire for fear of missing out on a promising groom. However, we should not forget that many men can only play blackmail, thus checking the lady they like for availability. - Forcing intimacy either for the provision of some service, or as payment for concealing incriminating evidence
. This is the most vile form of sexual blackmail, involving violence.
How to recognize an emotional blackmailer?
When meeting an emotional blackmailer, a person loses willpower. He fulfills the whims of the manipulator, making decisions emotionally, rather than relying on logic. To avoid falling into a trap, you need to learn to recognize manipulative techniques. Here are just a few of them, discussed with specific examples.
Playing the victim.
A person has an anniversary, a round date - 20 years. He wants to spend the holiday with friends, but his parents insist that he needs to invite relatives, a distant aunt, grandmother, uncle from Transbaikalia, because family is sacred. And they are all waiting for an invitation; we must not disappoint them. This is a classic situation, parents take the role of victims in order to force their children to behave the way they want.
Trolling.
A modern type of emotional blackmail, especially common on the Internet. Trolls provoke their interlocutors into a scandal or argument. At the same time, such people remain unknown, they write under other people’s names and photos, and remain anonymous. The best punishment for them and protection for yourself is lack of reaction and ignoring. This way you can deprive them of energy.
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You'll give it to me.
The blackmailer provides a favor or gives a gift, and then makes it clear that he is now waiting for a response. The donor himself chooses what the return service or gift should be; they are not always equivalent or appropriate. The manipulator may exaggerate the value of his service.
For example, a colleague did not tell his superiors that a person was leaving home 15 minutes early; in return, he asked to cover up his mistakes at work, which could lead to dismissal.
Social values.
The most fertile ground for manipulation are values instilled from childhood that disarm you when meeting an emotional blackmailer.
For example, children are indebted to their parents because they put so much effort into their upbringing. Elders must be respected, because if the offender is old, then you cannot answer him. Modesty is decorative, which especially affects girls who obediently fulfill the whims of stronger men.
Every person can become a manipulator; this is not always done consciously. This happens due to lack of attention, fear of loneliness, and inability to influence the situation in any other way.
Signs of blackmail
The most important weapon of a blackmailer is information supported by evidence. This could be a candid photo, compromising audio recording or video. In personal relationships, a blackmailer can play on feelings for him, for example, by threatening suicide, breaking up relationships, or moral suffering. Often the victim does not always realize his dependence on the blackmailer. This can be determined by the following aspects:
- searching for justification for one’s actions in relation to the blackmailer;
- doing something to please someone else;
- unquestioning compliance;
- committing acts against one’s desire to end the suffering of a loved one;
- weak-willedness and complete subordination.
Blackmailer's leverage.
Psychologists have identified 3 main levers with which a blackmailer tries to control another person through emotions:
- Fear . The blackmailer will put pressure on the fear of humiliation, loneliness, and failure. As a rule, he knows what the victim is most afraid of and puts pressure on this. Pressure can be carried out in the form of specific threats - to leave, to shame in front of relatives, to reveal secrets to friends, etc.
- Call of Duty . This lever can be used in the following form: “This is my third offense, one more - and I will be fired, take the blame on yourself,” “All my classmates have new iPhones, if I don’t have one, I will look inferior,” “ If you leave me, I’ll get drunk.”
- Guilt . The blackmailer shifts his responsibility onto the victim and makes her feel guilty. You can recognize this lever by the phrases: “you make me lose my temper,” “you make me look stupid,” “I spent time with you, so I didn’t have time to do the work.”
Types of manipulators.
Psychologist Susan Forward has identified 4 types of manipulators who use emotional blackmail:
- Executioner . You can hear threats from him. (If you don't come on the weekend, we'll separate).
- Martyr . Shifts responsibility for his failures onto others. (I married you instead of building a career).
- Victim . Threatens to kill himself if he doesn’t get what he wants (I can’t live without you).
- Merchant of Hopes . Promises benefits from any cooperation with him (If you live with me, you won’t have to do anything).
Emotional blackmail is not necessarily expressed directly; manipulators often use only hints. This is enough to appeal to emotions; this option is even more convenient, as it allows them to take the position “I didn’t say anything, you do it yourself.”
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What to do if you are blackmailed?
Blackmail and extortion, in fact, are crimes with one underlying reason - a ransom demand. It is worth immediately noting that for the most part, neither swindlers nor domestic “terrorists” stop once they get what they want, and continue to use their power over the victim in order to satisfy their own ambitions. Therefore, it is imperative to know what to do when blackmailed and how to behave with the tormentor.
How to deal with a blackmailer?
- Under no circumstances should you panic. You should pull yourself together and think soberly.
- Do not take into account what the blackmailer tells you, because his main goal is to intimidate and take control of everything. Behave calmly, because the swindler certainly does not expect such behavior from you.
- Do not try to negotiate with the extortionist and do not give him what he asks for. In this situation, it is best to stall for time so that law enforcement can understand this matter.
- If you are being blackmailed with information, then it is better to tell your relatives about your “sins” yourself. This way you will present the information as it is, without embellishment, and there will be nothing to blackmail you with.
How to get rid of a blackmailer?
The main defense against blackmail is the absolute ignoring of the blackmailer. If you do not respond to threats in any way, then the extortion is more likely to stop, because the blackmailer’s goal is not to compromise, but to make money. We should also not forget that the best defense is an attack, that is, bringing charges, and the punishment for blackmail provides for real and serious prison terms under several articles, depending on the severity of the crime. Let's look at liability for blackmail using the laws of the Russian Federation as an example:
- Art. 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – extortion, up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to 250 thousand rubles;
- Art. 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - violation of the secrecy of correspondence is punishable by a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles;
- Art. 137 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – violation of privacy. Punishment of up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to 250 thousand rubles.
Types of blackmail
There are several main types of blackmail, but regardless of the severity of a particular type, they all pose a danger both to an individual and to society as a whole.
Emotional blackmail
In fact, emotional blackmail is a certain way of manipulating a person, and it is more likely of a psychological nature than legal.
Almost every person has encountered this form of blackmail; most often it is used by people close to you, and it is expressed in the form of the condition “if... then...”.
There is no criminal punishment for such manifestations of blackmail, but we must not forget that emotional blackmail can easily develop into a more serious form, which may subsequently entail a legal solution to the problem.
Blackmail from friends
This is an unpleasant situation. But often the role of the blackmailer is a person familiar to the victim: colleagues, neighbors, casual acquaintances, etc. Such a crime is easier to solve because the identity of the suspect does not need to be identified, unlike the situation when blackmail is carried out anonymously.
Blackmail on someone else's behalf
The most common type of blackmail. It is dangerous because you do not know who exactly is blackmailing you. This type is often found on the Internet.
Social networks are generally a favorite place for blackmailers; if you have access to your personal account, it costs nothing for a criminal to take possession of any confidential information that you did not intend to share with the public, and then blackmail you by making this information public.
Political blackmail
This type of blackmail is especially common today. It can be public or private, and most often is not associated with the manipulation of a particular person, but with the desire to achieve something from the community that he represents. Such blackmail can be fraught with a variety of consequences.
How to prove blackmail?
Fraud and blackmail are two concepts that go hand in hand in the criminal code, and the evidence base for which has many nuances. How can one prove the fact of blackmail?
- Try to take screenshots of correspondence or record a conversation with the blackmailer.
- When the attacker announces his demands, try to delay the transfer of money or whatever the scammer demands. And under no circumstances follow the scammer’s lead without the safety net of the investigation, otherwise it will be almost impossible to prove the fact of blackmail.
- Next, you should contact law enforcement agencies with a detailed statement and provide all available evidence of blackmail and other criminal acts.
- Once a criminal case has been initiated, comply with all police requirements. It is quite possible that it will come down to spy equipment (wiretapping, covert recording) and marked banknotes.
- When contacting a blackmailer, behave naturally so that “the fish does not get off the hook of justice” if they suspect something is wrong.
- After completing the investigation and obtaining all the necessary evidence, you can be sure that the swindler will receive a real sentence for the blackmail committed.
How to recognize blackmail and how to behave
What signs can you use to determine that you are being blackmailed? Moreover, we are now talking not about everyday blackmail, but about a criminal offense. In fact, this is quite simple and does not need much comment.
If a certain person contacts you directly or through anonymous calls/messages and claims that he has certain, materially provable information that discredits you, which he is willing to keep secret in exchange for money or other material assets, or services, then you are definitely facing blackmailer.
Such actions already show signs of a crime under Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. However, what should you do if you are being blackmailed?
What to do? The first and most important rule is not to panic. The blackmailer is very interested in getting some benefit from you, therefore, he will not make public the information he has an hour after he made a statement to you. This means that you have time to properly think about the current situation and make a decision.
The biggest mistake that victims of a blackmailer often make is making concessions to him. As soon as the criminal realizes that you are afraid and consider the threat to be real, he begins to gain momentum and demand more and more. Also, there is no need to try to come to an agreement with him; a person who has already decided to blackmail is unlikely to make concessions.
Another common mistake is trying to deal with the blackmailer yourself by using force . This is a crime, and it will be punished in accordance with the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, so it is better to act using legal methods.
From the point of view of legal experts, there are two options for how to deal with a blackmailer. The first one is to contact the police. But be prepared for the fact that when you contact law enforcement agencies, you will have to provide the information for which you are being blackmailed. If these data do not contradict the law, you have nothing to fear, feel free to submit an application.
You must attach to your application the available evidence that you are actually being blackmailed. This could be an audio recording of a telephone call, a printout of correspondence with the blackmailer, or a video recording of a conversation with him.
If there are witnesses, this should also be indicated; they can help bring the criminal to justice. Also in the application you must record all the information that you know about the blackmailer: name, address, place of work, phone number, etc.
Most often, a police officer is offered to catch a blackmailer red-handed. That is, you agree to its terms, make an appointment, which takes place under police control, and after the amount of money is transferred to the suspect, he is detained.
There is another option on how to get rid of the blackmailer. You can try to collect counter-incriminating evidence against him. This method is suitable if for some reason you cannot or do not want to contact the police.
You can act independently or involve certain specialists in the process. For example, a professional detective. As soon as the incriminating evidence has been collected, invite the blackmailer to start a dialogue again, but this time on mutually beneficial terms. At this stage, you can also involve a specialist - a mediator, who resolves disputes privately, without the participation of third parties.
Films about blackmail
Some of the most action-packed genres in cinema are films and TV series about extortion:
- "Pretty Little Liars"
. The action of this series revolves around four girls who, a year after the death of their mutual friend Alison, begin to be blackmailed by an unknown person. The blackmailer holds many of their secrets and secrets, even those that were known only to the deceased. - "Enemy of the state"
. When you unwittingly become the owner of evidence incriminating a high-ranking official, it is no longer clear who the ideal victim for blackmail is, because a real hunt begins for you. - "The beauty and the Beast"
. Are you ready to remain imprisoned in the monster's castle to save your father's life? A serious step that will completely change the fate of the beautiful Belle.
How to prove the fact of a threat
It is possible to prove the fact of blackmail on the Internet, but it is much more difficult to bring the extortionist to justice. The problem is that it is not easy to locate the blackmailer, since they change IP addresses very often and use different programs. But it is still possible to track the criminal.
Victims of blackmailers very often prefer to pay money and do not contact the police. This is due to the fact that in this case the person has to tell intimate details of his life and explain the reason for the blackmail. Even if it is not connected to another crime, it is always a big stress.
What is blackmail: general provisions
The Criminal Code of the Russian Federation does not have a separate article on blackmail, and therefore blackmail is regarded as a method of committing another crime.
Most often, blackmail is expressed: 1. A threat to the life and health of the victim or his loved ones;
2. Publication of compromising materials;
3. Other actions undesirable for the victim, compromising his honor or dignity, as well as causing harm to life and health.
According to judicial practice, blackmail is a method of committing another crime.
Blackmail and extortion are often mistakenly combined into one crime. However, Extortion should be identified as a separate crime, the signs of which are:
· Request from a citizen for funds, material resources;
· Forcing a person to commit undesirable actions;
· Threat of violence, causing harm to the health of a citizen or members of his family;
· Causing damage to property;
· Distribution of materials discrediting the honor or business reputation of a person.
Extortion is regulated by Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. However, if a person is required to pay money that was taken on credit or against a receipt, then the crime will be qualified as arbitrariness under Article 330. The only thing that the perpetrator can be accused of is exceeding his rights, since he needed to file a claim to collect the debt . The use of physical force and psychological pressure is unacceptable.
Blackmail in the Criminal Code
There is no special article for blackmail in the Criminal Code; as such, blackmail is not a separate crime and is most often considered by lawyers under Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Extortion”.
However, if extortion is an illegal way to demand money from a victim, then blackmail in legal practice is defined as a method of committing another crime, in most cases extortion, which is expressed in the form of a threat to commit any undesirable actions for the blackmailed person that are not related to threats of violence or murder.
That is, if a person is threatened with beating or murder, this cannot be considered blackmail; it falls under the corresponding article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on threats.
Thus, legally, blackmail is equivalent to extortion. The punishment for this offense can be imprisonment for a term of up to four years and a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles if there are no aggravating circumstances, but if they exist, then the punishment can be from seven to fifteen years and a fine of up to a million rubles .
What to do if you are accused of sexual harassment on VKontakte?
If you are accused of sending intimate photos or videos to a minor, immediately file a police report .
You are unlikely to be able to cope with blackmail on VKontakte for sending obscene materials on your own, since charges of this kind entail criminal liability for a serious crime.
Remember, there is a huge difference in negotiations with an adult and a “minor” blackmailer . Here, every word you say can work against you.
Under no circumstances contact the Internet Police or other similar organizations that offer to solve the problem for a smaller amount of money. There are no such units in law enforcement agencies!
You are faced with either the same ransomware, “working” from different pages, or fake sites profiting from random victims.
How to get rid of a blackmailer?
In order to get rid of the blackmailer, you can simply ignore him. Yes, of course, in a fit of anger he will throw out his anger along with information, but he will not be able to do anything more in your direction. An instructive incident occurred in Moscow.
After drinking heavily at a party with colleagues, one decent family man remembered practically nothing in the morning. Naturally, he did not make it home, but fell asleep in the office on the sofa. An employee standing nearby hinted at a stormy night.
The family man began to say in horror that he could not cheat on his wife. Rushing home, he began to talk about how he fell asleep from fatigue. At this time, his pretty colleague began calling on the phone and demanding a significant sum of money to save the family. She said that she had revealing photos and videos and they could see the light of day.
The family man did not want to take money from his children and, after being depressed for several days, decided to take a risk and told his colleague that she could begin her attack - she would not wait for the money.
One time, a colleague called the wife of a family man and spewed complete nonsense, which the married woman did not believe, because trust comes first in this family.
And later everything calmed down completely. The colleague simply didn’t have any photos or videos.
Questions and answers
!!Is it possible to prosecute a person for blackmail??
The nuance is that this happens via the Internet ((and I don’t know who it is
Expert:
Valeria. This crime is called extortion. Extortion is a criminal offense. The responsibility to identify the person who committed the crime lies with law enforcement, not you. Contact the police to file a criminal complaint.
Expert:
Why did you decide that this was extortion?)
While the police are “identifying the person,” and this may take quite a long time, you can turn to a notary for the service of securing evidence. It costs about 15,000 rubles.
The idea is approximately the following: you give the notary an Internet address and he prepares a document describing everything that he sees on the page.
Internet crimes are a serious problem for our Society. Difficult to reveal.
Good luck!
They are blackmailing me by threatening to post my intimate photos online and send them to all my friends. I do not know what to do. So far there is only one requirement: that I do not delete my page on the social network and do not add the blackmailer’s page to the blacklist. His page, of course, is not real, it was created specifically for the purpose of blackmail. I'm afraid and don't know what will happen next.
Expert:
It doesn’t matter if this page is his, the IP address will be calculated. Take screenshots of the pages, write a statement to the police about this case. Attach copies to the application. Have your screenshots certified by a notary.
Please tell me, this is the problem, I met a girl through anonymous dating, it went as far as exchanging intimate photos, she asked for a full-length photo with her face, and she sent the photo from a different address under a different name, but it was the same person. Then she found from one of the photos, which was normal in clothes, me on VKontakte, as it turned out it was him, and I reminded myself of myself, there was a fake profile with the same name, but with 1 photo, then instead of this a photo of a man appeared. He (she) says that he needs 5,000 rubles, otherwise he will send it to friends and other places, and he threw it on the wall of an acquaintance, but it was not online and he did not see it, otherwise it would have been terrible. I already got caught when a VKontakte page was hacked and I wrote a statement to the police, but then the attacker fell silent, and the police are unlikely to look for anyone.
Expert:
Maksim!
You have the right to file a statement with the police regarding extortion under Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It must comply with Article 141 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. In this case, you are required to issue a ticket notifying you of the receipt of a report of a crime. The inquiry officer (investigator) will conduct a check in accordance with Articles 144-145 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation upon application and, within 3-10 days, will issue a decision to initiate or refuse to initiate a criminal case. Procedural documents or actions (inaction) of the inquiry officer (investigator) can be appealed in accordance with Articles 124-125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation. Good luck!
Expert:
Maksim. If you create such situations yourself, what do you expect? Contact the police. Or act wiser.
Expert:
Dear Maxim!
I need 5000 rubles otherwise I will send it to friends and other places, Maxim
There is a golden rule - do not pay the blackmailer. Pay once, they will demand more money, then more and more... You won’t surprise anyone with intimate photos now, you can always say that this is a photo montage and a stupid joke.
The police are unlikely to look for anyone. Maksim
That's for sure.
They want to put my home video on the Internet. What should I do if it is posted? What responsibility will they bear? What should I do?
Expert:
For what purpose are you being blackmailed? If for the purpose of obtaining a q.-l. property, money, then this falls under extortion and if you have evidence of these actions, you can contact the police with a statement.
Expert:
You can not do it this way. Criminal liability. But it will be necessary to prove the identity of the attacker who flooded somewhere.
Help me, what should I do? I have no idea? The person has nude photos of me. He threatens to expose them to the public, starting with VK. This blackmail lasts about 3-4 months. In addition, he threatens to set my house on fire and threatens that my family will suffer. I can’t do anything because he says that he has a good lawyer and that he will get away with it. What should I do, what should I do, how should I get rid of him.
Expert:
We need your clarification. What should you do to prevent him from posting your photos and setting the house on fire?
This is the problem: I was blackmailed on the Internet. They are blackmailing me with the help of a video with my participation, which no one should know about... they are asking for money, otherwise they will send it to friends, they will make it public otherwise. what to do? the problem is that there is little time until tomorrow evening
Expert:
Dear user!
Call “02” right now and report a crime containing signs of an act provided for in Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“extortion”).
This is a serious crime. Here is how it is described in the law: “Extortion, that is, the demand for the transfer of someone else’s property or the right to property or the commission of other actions of a property nature under the threat of violence or destruction or damage to someone else’s property, as well as under the threat of disseminating information disgracing the victim or his relatives , or other information that may cause significant harm to the rights or legitimate interests of the victim or his relatives.”
The amount of punishment varies significantly depending on the amount extorted.
Expert:
The only correct option is to contact the police.
If you pay money, where is the guarantee that they will not continue to blackmail you or post the video? Word of honor...? from blackmailers? Hardly.
The fact is that my intimate photos got to a person from another country, who received them on the social network VKontakte, thanks to me. With further reluctance to post more explicit photos, blackmail began by distributing screenshots of our dialogue along with photos to all my friends, and also that my photos would become public knowledge in the public pages of my city.
Expert:
Tell him. that the dialogue has been preserved and in this case you will demand the initiation of a criminal case
Article 137. Violation of privacy 1. Illegal collection
or dissemination of information about the private life of a person, constituting his personal or family secret, without his consent, or dissemination of this information in a public speech, publicly displayed work or the media - is punishable by a fine of up to two hundred thousand rubles or in the amount of wages or other income of the convicted person for a period of up to eighteen months, or compulsory labor for a period of up to three hundred sixty hours, or correctional labor for a period of up to one year, or forced labor for a period of up to two years with deprivation of the right to occupy certain position or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years or without it, or arrest for a term of up to four months, or imprisonment for a term of up to two years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to three years.
Expert:
I read a similar question on “replies to mail. ru" - there was a WHOLE dissertation - which was reduced to the banal - no matter how...
I will say that it all depends on how much you are willing to spend to punish this person...
and Vladislav, don’t worry! You can always accuse others of intolerance!
On one's own
Once you find yourself in the sight of extortionists, under no circumstances start a scandal or be led by emotions. Stay cool and completely calm, trying to collect as much evidence as possible of the extortionist’s illegal actions.
If you were unable to politely but firmly get rid of the extortionist, pretend that you agree to his demands and start stalling for time.
Use witness testimony; in case of threats or persistent visits of extortionists to your home, try not to be alone.
Use audio-video recording, for example, using a voice recorder or a mobile phone camera to record the attacker’s demands or your conversation.
If this is extortion over the phone, for example in the form of a message that your relative is in trouble and you urgently need to send money, feign fear and, under any pretext, force the interlocutor to interrupt the conversation and call you back - this way you can prepare for the conversation.
Try to find those who have suffered from the same person and enlist their support and testimony - in case of extortion in school, hospital or at work.
When making audio and video recordings, try to structure the dialogue so that the extortionist “talks out” as much as possible - agree on the amount, method of transfer, small details. Once or twice you can reduce the dialogue to a conflict by refusing to pay - your interlocutor will probably announce the consequences of what will happen to you if you do not give money or directly threaten.
Having collected the evidence base, you can contact law enforcement agencies.
Where and how to contact?
1. If there are threats during extortion to your health or life, your loved ones, or officials extort a bribe from you, then, definitely, you should go exclusively to law enforcement agencies.
A) If you become a victim of extortion, contact the police department with a statement at the place where the crime was committed.
B) Contact the prosecutor's office if government officials interfere with your efforts to protect your rights and refuse to accept your application.
2/ If law enforcement officers act as extortionists, and you are afraid of mutual responsibility in the police department at your place of residence (especially in the provinces), contact the personal security service of the Department of Internal Affairs of the city or region or the regional department of the FSB.
3. In case of extortion of money under circumstances of an obvious “frame-up” - for example, an accident or alleged damage to someone else’s property - immediately call the police, without agreeing to any alternatives. The mere intention to call the police will be enough to cool the ardor of extortionists.
Example: Citizen A., driving his car through an intersection, felt a slight blow to the right and stopped. Two men approached him and showed him a broken expensive phone; allegedly the driver did not notice the pedestrian crossing, hit him and the man dropped his phone on the asphalt. Refusing to “resolve the issue on the spot,” A. pointed to the surveillance camera at a nearby store and began calling the police to sort out the situation. The extortionists immediately left the scene.
Recommendations for users
Unfortunately, no one is safe from hacking of a personal account on a social network or online dating with extortionist. However, it is recommended to follow a few tips to prevent the possibility of blackmail:
- Close your personal profile. So, only those users who are included in the friends list will be able to see information about you, look at photos and leave messages.
- Do not add unknown people to your friends or contact list. Let only your friends contact you.
- Change passwords on pages periodically. Choose complex combinations consisting not only of letters, but also numbers.
- Do not send intimate photos or videos to anyone. You cannot send personal materials to friends, your significant other, or strangers.
- If your social network profile has been hacked and you cannot access it, then notify support.
The Internet world is full of dangers, and every user can face them. Be careful when dating online, do not share personal information and pictures, question every word of an unfamiliar interlocutor, and then you will be able to prevent blackmail on the Internet.
We are ready to answer any questions you may have - ask them in the comments
