TikTok, originally called Douyin in China, is a service that hosts short videos owned by ByteDance. With durations ranging from 15 seconds to ten minutes, it hosts a variety of short-form user videos. Like clockwork, new scams targeting victims crop up all the time. Most recently, there has been an uptick in TikTok scams. In this article, you will learn all about TikTok blackmail and how to protect yourself from it.
What is TikTok Blackmail and How It Works
While there are many variants of this scam, they all share one common goal: to get you to act without thinking. So, before you fall victim to one of these schemes, it’s important to know what to look out for. Here is a roundup of some of the most popular TikTok scams and how you can protect yourself from them.
TikTok Scams:
- Fake Apps: Fake TikTok accounts will promote fraudulent apps. In some cases, the accounts claim that the apps are free when they install adware or malware on your device to spam you with ads or steal your information.
- Account Impersonating: Fake accounts impersonate real-life people or celebrities. A lot of times they use these accounts to promote other fraudulent activities such as crypto investing.
- Bot accounts: TikTok is also filled with bots that interact with users and fool them into believing they are speaking with a real person. If you respond directly to them, they might ask you for sensitive information or direct you to scam sites that phish your information and install malware on your device.
- Email phishing: You might be offered a sponsorship, a larger following, a verified badge, or some other special deal. By clicking on any link in the email, you will be redirected to a site that will ask you for login credentials.
- TikTok Sextortion: In this scenario, fake accounts will message you to gain sexually explicit private images or videos of the victim then the perpetrator threatens to expose sexually compromising information unless the victim meets certain demands.
What to Do if Someone Blackmails You on TikTok
Tips for Scam prevention:
- Be cautious of app promotions. Make sure to read the reviews before your download any applications.
- Check the authenticity of accounts, most verified accounts have a badge of authenticity.
- Do not click on any links about your TikTok! Pay attention to who is sending the email always double-check the sender is from a verified company!
- Stay clear of Bots! Lookout for messages with strange phrases or conversation that doesn’t seem natural.
- Don’t share explicit or personal information over TikTok.
- Keep your TikTok private.
- Report any Blackmail crimes right away! File a police report with local law enforcement and report the crime online to the FBI. Blackmail is a federal crime. You can also report the user on TikTok.
How to Stop TikTok Blackmail. How Can Help?
When someone threatens to reveal embarrassing or compromising information about you unless you obey their demands, they are extorting. This can be a scary experience, especially if the person blackmailing you has personal details that could damage your reputation.
As a serious crime, blackmail can have long-term effects on both the victim and the perpetrator. If you are a victim of blackmail, you should contact Digital Investigation immediately to protect your reputation and privacy. You can trust our online security experts to help you through this difficult time.
TikTok scams are on the rise, and they’re becoming more sophisticated. Be aware of what to look out for so that you don’t become a victim. Stay safe and comment below.
