what to do if someone threatens you on facebook

"Someone is threatening to post a video of me on Facebook!" is a common phrase we hear from panicked clients who contact our firm. Usually, these images, videos, and other media are of a sensitive or intimate nature.

If someone is threatening to mail service an intimate video of you on Facebook, information technology can be difficult to know how to respond and what course of action to take. We recommend taking the following deportment:

1. Do non panic,
2. Set all social media profiles to individual,
3. Cease engaging with the perpetrator and do not give in to their demands,
4. Preserve all communications with the sexortionist, as well equally any identifying information (such as the perpetrator's Facebook account URL),
5. Report the sextortionist to Facebook past clicking the iii dots on the upper correct corner of the abusive mail or their profile, select 'Find Support or Report Photograph/Folio', and follow the on-screen directions,
6. Monitor your online mentions for subsequent attacks and content, and
7. Consult an experienced sextortion attorney.

Being the target of Facebook sextortion can be a scary, embarrassing, and isolating experience. At Minc Law, we take the burden of communication with the sextortionist out of your hands and create an effective response and monitoring program. Nosotros can identify internet perpetrators, handle advice with them, and put an end to the harassment equally quickly and painlessly equally possible.

In this article, we explain what sextortion is and what it typically looks like on Facebook. Nosotros so provide y'all with detailed steps to follow—and your legal options—if someone is threatening to post an intimate video of you on Facebook.

What is Sextortion?

Showtime, someone threatening to share an intimate video, media, or information is a form of sextortion. Regardless of your perception of "how bad" the situation is, you are a victim of a sextortion attempt if that clarification applies to you.

Below, nosotros ascertain sextortion in greater item and explain how it works in today's digital landscape.

What Qualifies as Sextortion?

Sextortion is the threat of publishing explicit media (images and videos) or information about a victim if they do not give in to the sextortionist'southward demands. Unremarkably, sextortionists demand coin, sexual images, or actual sexual favors in commutation for keeping the explicit content private.

Victims of sextortion are often terrified that this intimate media volition brand its way into the public sphere where all of their friends, family, and coworkers will see it. This explicit content could take the form of sexual images, videos, or fifty-fifty suggestive chat letters.

Sextortion is besides ordinarily referred to equally:

• Online extortion,
• Internet bribery,
• Extortion,
• Webcam blackmail
• Online sextortion,
• Webcam sextortion,
• Cyber corruption,
• Cyber harassment, and
• Online harassment.

How Does Sextortion Work?

In near all cases of sextortion, the perpetrator creates a simulated identity to class a relationship with the victim. The perpetrator's end goal is to fox the victim into sending compromising content, like images, videos, and explicit chat messages.

This procedure is a form of catfishing, which tin can have several motives including extortion, harassment, and revenge. About sextortionists, however, have the unproblematic goal of extorting coin from strangers.

At Minc Law, our experience has been that about sextortionists alive overseas. Most commonly, we find that sextortionists operate out of one of the following countries:

• The Philippines,
• Morocco,
• Côte d'Ivoire (The Ivory coast),
• United mexican states, and
• Ukraine.

Because many sextortionists choose victims in other countries and frequently operate from public cyberspace cafes, they believe that they are insulated from any consequences. Considering of their perceived safe, they ofttimes experience free to target as many victims every bit possible.

For further information on sextortion overseas, we recommend reading our comprehensive resource by attorney Christina Williams explaining what to do if you are the target of a Philippine sextortion scam.

What Does Sextortion Typically Expect Like on Facebook?

Common sextortion scams and interactions on Facebook (and other social media platforms) usually follow a like pattern. For case, John is perusing his Facebook news feed and notices that he has received a friend request from a stranger, who appears to be an attractive woman. John accepts the friend request.

His new friend reaches out to him via Messenger to say hullo. They begin chatting—just small talk at get-go, but the conversation quickly becomes flirtatious. Eventually, John'southward mannerly new friend suggests that they move their conversation to a Skype video telephone call or a third-party messaging app, like Kik.

John agrees, and earlier he can think better of it, he is convinced to commit sexual acts on camera. Perhaps the "friend" appears to be on camera and is engaging in explicit activity every bit well—how is John to know that the "live feed" on the other stop is actually a pre-recorded video that does not contain the scammer at all?

After John shares the explicit content, things take a plough for the worse. The "friend" suddenly stops being so friendly. They tell John they have been recording him and threaten to mail service the intimate video to Facebook for all of his friends, family, and colleagues to see if he does not ship money (oftentimes Bitcoin).

Minc Law Tip: If a stranger has friended y'all on social media, one way to check for crimson flags is to acquit a contrary paradigm search of their profile photo. Doing and then can enable you to detect whatever other websites, profiles, and platforms that accept used the photo. The photograph may be stolen from another person's profile, or it may be a stock image. If something seems "off" about the reverse prototype search results, it probably is. Do not accept the friend request if that is the case.

What is the Difference Betwixt Sextortion & Regular Extortion?

Extortion is the human action of using threats to obtain something from the victim (usually money). Sextortion is a specific blazon of extortion—i in which the perpetrator threatens to employ personal, intimate images or media confronting the victim if the victim does not comply with the sextortionist's requests.

Who Are the Near Common Targets of Sextortion?

For virtually perpetrators, sextortion is a numbers game.

These scammers set on as many people equally they can, regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. While sextortion victims are most commonly either underage or 40-to-70-year-quondam men, the risk of being sextorted applies to anyone willing to chat with strangers online.

Any individual who is on a dating site or active on social media with a public profile is a potential target for sextortion.

Steps to Deal With a Sextortionist on Facebook Without Taking Legal Action

While you may wish to accept immediate legal action, in that location are several effective steps you can take showtime if you lot are a victim of sextortion. Below, we cover the deportment you should take afterward receiving a sextortion threat on Facebook—along with a few actions you should avoid at all costs.

What Should You Practice If Someone is Threatening to Post Your Intimate Videos on Facebook?

If you receive a threat that someone will post your intimate videos or media on Facebook, you should take the following actions immediately. Do not await to protect yourself and gather the appropriate information, even as you brainstorm reporting the incident to the regime and/or contacting legal representation to aid you lot.

i. Do Not Panic

Starting time, remain calm. But considering someone is threatening to post an intimate image or video online, information technology does non hateful they will necessarily follow through. We discuss this more in the video below.

Video: What are the Chances a Sextortionist Follows Through?

Watch

The best way to handle the state of affairs is to refrain from acting out of gut instinct or panic. Doing and then could ultimately brand the situation worse. Go along a clear head and know that y'all accept more than command of the situation than you think.

2. Set Social Media Profile to Individual

Next, gear up all of your accounts to private immediately. Disable all social media accounts and public profiles y'all do not use and do not take any friend requests from strangers.

To set your Facebook profile to private on your desktop, simply click on the arrow on the top right of your news feed and select "Settings and Privacy."

Click "Settings."

On the settings page, click "Privacy" to view and adjust your privacy settings. From this page, you can choose who can come across your posts, discover your profile, send you individual messages, and more.

3. Stop Engaging With the Sextortionist(s) Further

It is understandable to be afraid that the scammer volition follow through on their threats if you lot exercise not respond to them. Nonetheless, resist the urge to pay a ransom or try reasoning with the sextortionists.

Instead, immediately cutting all communication with the scammer. They are hoping you will immediately panic and practice what they ask; if you do not, they lose a swell deal of their ability.

Minc Police Reputation Management Fact: Information technology is rarely a good idea to respond to whatsoever type of blackmailer or extortionist. In most cases, extortionists take your response to mean that you are an easy victim who volition cave to their demands. Their demands will only go more aggressive and escalate in telescopic.

4. Preserve Evidence of All Communications With the Sextortionist

Adjacent, resist the urge to delete the evidence and proof of contact. Understanding the accurate chronology of the messages and threats sent is of the utmost importance in devising an appropriate activity program for your particular situation.

Document any and all contact between y'all and the scammer. Accept screenshots of chat messages—and be sure to include timestamps to demonstrate what happened when.

Furthermore, we recommend compiling a list of the sextortionist's Facebook business relationship URL, screen names, and whatever obvious electronic mail addresses associated with the account.

five. Written report the Sextortionist'southward Account to Facebook

Next, report the incident to Facebook for violating its Community Standards. You tin can report a Facebook profile by:

• Clicking the three dots in the upper right-manus corner (just nether 'Message),
• Clicking 'Detect back up or report profile', and
• Following the on-screen prompts.

If the sextortion occurs in a post on your wall, click the iii dots in the upper right corner to come across reporting options. Select the problem that best describes your situation.

Or, to report a private bulletin on your desktop, click "Privacy and Support" on the correct sidebar of the Messenger chat window.

In either case, select the option that best fits your situation. For Facebook sextortion, information technology is likely that "Harassment" is the right selection.

Facebook takes sextortion and other forms of online harassment very seriously, so exercise not hesitate to report an abusive account or post.

6. Monitor Your Online Mentions

Adjacent, it is imperative that you monitor your online reputation for subsequent attacks, content, and mentions. The easiest way is to create a gratuitous Google Alerts business relationship that volition notify you someday your name (or designated keyword) is mentioned anywhere online.

Digital gamble protection services are another comprehensive way to monitor your reputation. This service uses online tools and services to protect confronting your digital risk, including monitoring platforms like social media, forums, and blogs.

What Should Y'all Avoid If Y'all Are the Victim of Sextortion?

Sometimes, our gut instincts serve united states of america well—only oftentimes in the instance of online sextortion, the right course of activity tin exist counterintuitive. Beneath, we cover ii seemingly natural responses to sextortion that should be avoided at all costs.

Avoid Giving Into the Sextortionist's Demands or Paying Them Money

No thing how much you are tempted to believe that doing so volition make the problem go away, do non see the scammer'south ransom demands. Paying them money or sending them more explicit content will but worsen the situation.

If you have already initiated a money transfer, act as quickly as possible to contact your depository financial institution or financial institution and abolish the coin transfer before it is finalized. Nearly sextortionists choose to selection up money transfers in greenbacks, so if y'all deed rapidly, yous may be able to cancel the transfer before they can obtain the funds.

Avoid Trying to "Become Ahead of the Story"

You may as well be inclined to command the narrative past informing your friends, family, and/or employer nearly the incident. Simply in our experience, nearly sextortionists do not follow through on their threats to publish the sexual content.

So if you jump the gun, yous may find that in the terminate, your friends and family may never take constitute out if yous had non told them.

Make sure to read our article by attorney Andrew Stebbins answering a common question we receive, 'Do sextortionists follow through?'.

Why Should You Save All Communications Y'all Receive From a Sextortionist?

Preserving all evidence of communication from a sextortionist allows you to create a chronological timeline of the incident. Having a thorough record of the sextortion attempt makes it more likely that you lot tin accept the social media platform suspend the perpetrator's account.

And if you lot wish to accept legal action, the more evidence, the ameliorate. Being able to testify what happened tin assistance law enforcement identify and bring consequences for the scammer.

Legal Options to Cease Someone From Sharing Intimate Images & Videos on Facebook

While at that place are many steps yous can take to ameliorate protect yourself from sextortion without engaging legal aid, sometimes it is necessary to accept professional person aid.

Below, we list police force enforcement agencies where you can report the incident. And so we explain how cases are built against a sextortionist and what legal actions can be taken to finish them.

Where Should You Study Sextortion?

There are many options available to you to written report sextortion, including local, federal, and international agencies. Choose as many options as y'all experience apply to your situation, since the more places you report the crime, the more likely it is that the criminal will be identified.

Internet Crimes Complaint Centre (IC3)

The IC3 is a web-based portal for reporting criminal activeness on the internet—including internet extortion and sextortion—to the FBI. Analysts review each complaint and forward them to the appropriate international, federal, state, or local law enforcement authorities.

To written report sextortion to the IC3, visit their File a Complaint page and enter as much information equally possible nearly the incident.

Your Local Federal Agency of Investigation (FBI) Field Office

Yous tin can also contact the FBI part in your local area straight. There are 56 FBI offices located across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, which all work closely with other law enforcement partners on cases and behave out investigations.

Visit the FBI'due south list of field offices to find contact data for the office nearest you.

INTERPOL

The International Criminal Constabulary Organization (INTERPOL) is currently the world's largest constabulary cooperation and crime control agency. Since many sextortionists operate beyond international borders, INTERPOL may demand to exist involved.

To report your case to INTERPOL, contact your local and/or national police. They volition so piece of work with INTERPOL'southward General Secretariat.

National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

If the sextortion victim is underage, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

You tin study the incident using the NCMEC online contact form, calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), or visiting the NCMEC's cyber tipline.

Your Local Regime

You lot can besides contact your local law department, which may have a cyber crimes unit, about your situation.

The best way to contact your local authorities is to find the contact information of your nearest precinct office using a search engine. Then, you can file a complaint by calling the precinct or visiting in person.

Ameliorate Concern Bureau (BBB)

While not a legal dominance, the Better Business Agency (BBB) has a scam tracker that lets both businesses and consumers report scams beyond the United states of america and Canada. This tracker is an attempt to educate consumers and forestall similar scams from happening to others.

To report a sextortionist or scammer, visit the BBB Scam Tracker homepage, click "Report a Scam," and fill in equally much item every bit possible almost the incident.

Your E-mail Provider

Finally, you should written report whatever emailed blackmail or extortion threats to the service provider where the email originated. For example, if the email accost ends in "gmail.com," report the threat to Gmail. Other service providers include:

• ProtonMail,
• Outlook,
• iCloud Postal service,
• Yahoo! Mail,
• AOL Postal service.

If yous do not know the domain name where the email is registered, you can use ICANN Lookup to find the e-mail's domain host. Yous can and so contact that domain host to report the suspicious activeness.

What Information is Useful When Building a Case Against a Sextortionist?

To build a case against a sextortionist, it is important to gather evidence of a timeline of events. Whatsoever screenshots or documentation of messages and conversations can assist law enforcement and your chaser pursue the case as far and as quickly as possible.

Brand sure to assemble equally much data as you tin can about the scammer, every bit well. Take screenshots of their:

• Account name,
• Profile photo, and the
• URL of their Facebook business relationship folio.

The more data points at that place are available, the more than effective law enforcement and your attorney can exist in seeking consequences for the scammer.

What Are Your Legal Options For Preventing Someone From Sharing Intimate Videos of You on Facebook?

Because of the anonymous and global nature of many sextortion attempts, it can be difficult for fifty-fifty the almost experienced attorneys or police force enforcement agencies to remedy the situation completely. Merely information technology can still exist extremely helpful to seek out legal advice well-nigh how to handle the state of affairs in the best mode.

An experienced internet attorney tin can inform you of your legal rights and advise you lot on the appropriate course of action to deal with the sextortion. They can assist forestall the sharing of intimate videos by crafting a response strategy and helping you lot avoid jumping the gun or responding inappropriately to the sextortion effort.

Legal teams can also help you identify anonymous perpetrators, send a letter to the sextortionist telling them to stop and desist their unlawful behavior and work swiftly to have whatever published content removed. And a law firm that specializes in reputation management can help monitor the internet for intimate content and guard you against hereafter attacks using digital hazard protection (DRP) strategies.

It can be invaluable to have the support and advice of an experienced internet attorney who tin can help you avoid handing over your money out of panic or fearfulness.

Minc Law Reputation Direction Tip: At Minc Law, we have a DRP service that may help you place and ward off online attacks against your or your business' reputation. We recommend checking out our folio on the subject for an overview of the services nosotros offer: " Often Asked Questions Nearly Digital Chance Protection."

How to Find Legal Help to Preclude Intimate Videos From Being Shared on Facebook

If you are the victim of sextortion on Facebook, you should contact an experienced cyberspace chaser immediately. Practice non look until it is too belatedly or (you have already sent money to the sextortionist) to ask for help.

In this section, we provide tips on finding legal representation, resource explaining how to deal with Facebook sextortion on your own, and information on how law enforcement can help you lot.

Where Tin can You lot Hire an Attorney to Help You Prevent Intimate Videos Being Posted on Facebook?

There are a few reliable ways to locate a reliable sextortion attorney to handle your case. We recommend checking with:

• Friends, coworkers, and family for personal recommendations;
• Your local bar association;
• Legal databases like Avvo, Lawyers.com, and Martindale-Hubbel; and
• Search engines similar Google, with keywords like "online sextortion lawyer + [your state]".

Make sure that when looking for a lawyer to assistance you deal with Facebook sextortion, you observe ane who is experienced in internet constabulary. Y'all would non rent a dermatologist to handle a heart operation; for the same reason, you should not hire a family lawyer to handle your internet sextortion example.

One way to tell if a police force firm is knowledgeable and experienced in internet sextortion matters is to cheque their website. Do they handle your specific blazon of case? Do they have testimonials or reviews from previous clients who were in a similar situation as yours?

The right business firm should have content on its website providing guidance and information nearly handling internet sextortion. The all-time sextortion attorneys will have enough personal experience in this type of case that they can advise yous on all of the risks, costs, options, and best practices involved.

Where Can You Find Resource & Guidance If You Are Beingness Threatened by a Sextortionist?

Being the victim of sextortion can experience like an extremely delicate and embarrassing situation, and it is understandable that you might be resistant to the idea of request for help. Your harasser may exist threatening you lot with consequences if you tell anyone about your state of affairs, or you may merely not desire a record of the incident filed anywhere.

If you are hesitant to file an official report with the FBI or other law enforcement agency, there are still places you lot can turn to for aid—and if y'all are underage, we recommend you start past telling a trusted adult virtually what has happened.

The following resources can requite y'all helpful information and advice about how to handle a sextortion scam on Facebook:

• Attorney General's Cyber Exploitation Task Force—A website with resources for both victims and law enforcement created by the California Department of Justice;
• Thinkuknow—An educational website from a U.K. organisation dedicated to protecting children;
• Samaritans—A judgment-complimentary listening service;
• Cyber Civil Rights Initiative—A website with a crisis helpline, online content removal guide, and other helpful tips for victims of cyber harassment;
• Crash Override—A cybersecurity resource center;
• HeartMob—An online back up network for victims of harassment online;
• Revenge Porn Helpline—A U.Chiliad. communication, support, and content removal service for adult victims of revenge porn.
• Without My Consent (WMC)—Educational materials for victims, advocates, law enforcement, and attorneys regarding digital privacy, free voice communication, equality, and due process;
• PAPYRUS—A confidential hotline providing advice and support for young people struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-impairment;
• Get Safe Online—Resources for protecting oneself online, including while shopping, using social media, and banking.

Keep in mind that while many sextortion victims choose to become it alone using the resources listed higher up, we recommend at least consulting with an experienced net chaser first. They can give you a useful perspective and information almost edifice a comprehensive strategy for handling your unique situation.

How Can Law Enforcement Help Yous If You Are Being Threatened past a Sextortionist on Facebook?

While sextortion is a crime, well-nigh sextortion attempts have place across online and international borders. Most local police enforcement agencies are non fully equipped to deal with sextortion on Facebook. While reporting the sextortion to the police force cannot hurt the situation, you volition need to take it upon yourself to partner with an experienced internet attorney to help you lot handle the state of affairs caput-on.

★★★★★

"Michael was swell to work with, he understood the upshot I was having with an extortion case and took control of all advice. The situation was resolved in a timely fashion and I feel great about the event. I would recommend Minc and Michael to anyone having the same issue."

CR, Nov 24, 2021

If you are a victim of a sextortion scam or need to remove sensitive images or videos from the internet, contact the experienced attorneys at Minc Law today by calling usa at (216) 373-7706 or by filling out our contact form online. If y'all are a fit for our sextortion services, we offering paid chaser consultations with 1 of our sextortion attorneys for a cost of $400.

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Source: https://www.minclaw.com/someone-threatening-post-video-me-facebook/

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