The Steps to Stop Blackmail on Facebook: Tips for Victims

Facebook has remained one of the most-used social media platforms since it began in 2004. With over three billion active users every month (1), the platform is only growing with time. However, such a wide reach also makes Facebook a prime target for criminals to abuse its capabilities, and blackmailers are some of the worst offenders.

Blackmail on Facebook is a serious issue that is only getting worse by the day. In 2024, NPR reported that Meta has removed seven thousand Facebook accounts, pages, and groups related to blackmail scams (2). If you are dealing with something like this, you do have options to tackle the problem head-on. In this article, we’re breaking down what blackmail is and preventing Facebook blackmail.

What is Blackmail on Facebook?

Blackmail is a form of extortion where a criminal demands payment from a victim in exchange for not revealing compromising or damaging information. These blackmailers use fake profiles to lure unsuspecting victims into an intimate online relationship. After the victim sends sensitive information to the criminal, they threaten to expose the information unless they are compensated.

On Facebook, blackmailers tend to use catfish profiles to message hundreds, if not thousands, of accounts until they find a target. Blackmail scams typically materialize in three main ways:

Romance Scams
Sexploitation
Sextortion

Romance Scam

Romance scams are a type of extortion that uses catfishing tactics to lure unsuspecting victims into a romantic online relationship before extorting them for money or gifts. Romance scams can also decline into a sextortion scam if the victim tries to end the relationship. Sometimes the criminal can impersonate a celebrity or a public figure.

Sextortion

Sextortion scams are when a blackmailer deceives a victim into sending explicit content and then threatens to expose it unless they are compensated. This is one of the most popular types of Facebook extortions. The threat of a user’s explicit photos being sent to their family, friends, or co-workers causes immense distress and scammers know this. They use this fear and anxiety to pressure the victim into paying them with haste.

Sextortion on Facebook is often performed by groups of cybercriminals who are only interested in money. Sexploitation scammers have different motives and, in many cases, they may be attracted to the victim. This can be even more dangerous if the criminal seeks to please their own desires.

Sexploitation

Sexploitation and sextortion scams are very similar except for one key difference. In cases of sexploitation, the blackmailer demands sexual favors or content instead of compensation. While very similar, these crimes are typically committed by different types of criminals.

There are ways to stop Facebook blackmail. Despite the overwhelming emotions victims feel, it’s important to NEVER pay the blackmailer. Once they receive payment, they know you are susceptible to their tactics and will reach out again. Continue reading this article to learn the immediate steps you can take to regain control of the situation.

How Often Do Blackmailers Follow Through on Facebook?

Is it likely that the blackmailer actually follows through on their threat? They might be bluffing, right? Different factors such as whether or not the victim paid the scammer and the nature of the victim’s response to the blackmailers threats have different affects on whether the client was exposed. Cases of content leaks on Facebook are also affected by certain factors unique to the platform.

Facebook gives scammers access to a victim’s family and friends for easy exposure.

Users can easily create a new account under the same IP address.

Facebook has made many changes to help fight the rise of sextortion scams on their platform including a better way for users to report Facebook blackmail. However, there is still a long way to go before they can completely stop Facebook blackmail.

How Meta is Trying to Prevent Blackmail on Their Platform

Meta has implemented many changes to address the large amount of blackmail scams on Facebook and Instagram. One of their main focuses was preventing Facebook blackmail in the first place.

They created educational articles, proactive prompts, and safety notices that educate users on sextortion scams and any behavior from a profile that is suspicious.

They have also restricted many of the ways that their users can interact with each other. Now, users are unable to send multimedia messages to people they do not follow or are not already connected with.

Here are a few more ways Facebook is attempting to stop Facebook blackmail:

They were one of the founders of the organization StopNCII.org. This organization works to prevent any NCII content from being reshared by using a Hash-generating technology. The tool assigns a unique hash value to an image like a digital fingerprint. They can use the hash to detect those images on the platform (4).

Meta also blurs any display of nudity or sexual activity to protect those who are sensitive to that type of content in messages. While it doesn’t stop a viewer from clicking and opening the image, it is still a step in preventing the spread of NCII content.

Immediate Steps to Take If You’re Being Blackmailed

Being a victim of Facebook extortion is a terrible feeling. There is a great amount of shame, fear, and anxiety that can influence you to make a rash decision. However, this is a common mistake victims fall into when trying to stop Facebook blackmail. You will feel compelled to block the scammer or even to pay them, but both options will only encourage the blackmailer to continue targeting you. If you want to regain control over the situation, you need to take these steps.

Step One: Gather the Information

In order for law enforcement or cybersecurity experts to help you, you are going to need as much evidence as possible. This includes the NCII (non-consensual intimate image sharing) and the entire message history.

Steps Two: Do NOT Give Into Their Demands

The last thing a victim of Facebook extortion should ever do is give into the blackmailer’s demands. Complying with the criminal only makes you a target that they will return to in the future and at worst, they may release sensitive information on you anyways.

Step Three: Protect Your Account

If a scammer is targeting you through Facebook, then protecting your account is one of the most important first steps to take. Change your privacy settings to only allow friends to have access to your profile, photos, and posts.

Step Four: Report the Crime to the Authorities

No matter the circumstance of the blackmail scam, you should always report it to your local law enforcement as soon as possible. The police is always a great start to dealing with being blackmailed but they may not be able to help much if the criminal is located outside of their jurisdiction or remains anonymous. That’s why it’s also important to file a report online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 has a relationship with Interpol and can work with law enforcement in other countries to find your attacker internationally. Make sure to have thorough documentation when reporting the crime to the authorities.

Step Five: Do NOT Block the Perpetrator

You may find it instinctual to block the blackmailer, but this could have the opposite effect. The best course of action is to maintain minimal communication with the scammer and delay making the payment for as long as possible. Use believable excuses to keep the criminal at bay while you buy yourself time to find more solutions.

Step Six: Report The Issue to Facebook Blackmail

A better way to attempt to get rid of the scammer on Facebook is to report their profile. Facebook’s reporting system makes it easy to get a blackmailer’s profile removed from the platform. The best part about reporting Facebook blackmail is that they will have no idea that you were the one that reported them and the best case scenario is that they don’t return.

Step Seven: Seek Help From Cybersecurity Experts

There are many companies and organizations that specialize in helping people stop Facebook blackmail and can even bring your attacker to justice, no matter where they are. The downside is that this does come at a cost and many companies vary in their service offerings and effectiveness.

What to do if Someone You Know is Being Blackmailed

If someone you know is dealing with blackmail on Facebook, the best thing you can do is be a supportive friend. Understand that this is one of the most stressful moments of their life and they will need someone to be there for them. Guide them to the resources in this article or more and encourage them to take the necessary steps to protect themselves. However, this is their life and their decision on what steps they want to take next.

Other Resources for Victims of Online Blackmail

You are not the first and you won’t be the last to go through something like this. There are many organizations, firms, and nonprofits that were made to help victims of blackmail on Facebook. Many focus on sextortion scams when it comes to social media. Others focus on preventing Facebook Blackmail entirely. You don’t have to go through such a stressful time on your own. Here are some free resources that victims of blackmail scams can use.

CISA (Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency) – A US agency that provides tips and guides on how to proactively implement security measures to help eliminate potential threats.
Missingkids.org – An organization that has several free resources for safe internet navigation and how to spot online harassment.
NCMEC (National Center for Missing or Exploited Children) – A nonprofit that provides assistance to victims, families, LE, Social Services agencies, mental health agencies, and others when they need help with a missing, exploited or recovered child.
StopNCII.org – A company that works in partnership with online platforms to remove harmful content before it is distributed.
CCRI (Cyber Civil Rights Initiative) – A nonprofit that helps victims and survivors of image-based sexual abuse and the laws aimed at protecting them.

Getting Help From Digital Forensics Corp

If you’re looking for professional help with blackmail scams, Digital Investigation Inc. is the best help you can get. We have a specialized team that works with victims of online blackmail that work to prevent exposure in cases of online blackmail. They use the latest technology to identify blackmailers, even if they are in another country, and bring them to justice. If you are a victim of blackmail on Facebook, contact our Online Blackmail Helpline to talk to an expert.

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DISCLAIMER: THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER. DIGITAL INVESTIGATION INC. IS NOT A LAWFIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR SERVICES. By viewing posts, the reader understands there is no attorney-client relationship, the post should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney, and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.