Blackmail Scams: When Scammers Try to Scare You into Paying Up
June 17, 2025
Blackmail scams are one of the most disturbing types of online fraud — not because they’re especially clever, but because they weaponize fear and shame. Whether the scam involves fabricated dirt or stolen data, the goal is the same: scare you into paying to “make it go away.”
Let’s talk about how these scams work, what they look like, and what to do if you get one.
What Is a Blackmail Scam?
A blackmail scam (also known as a sextortion scam or extortion scam) typically starts with a message claiming the sender has compromising information about you — and unless you pay, they’ll expose it.
That “information” might be:
- Embarrassing photos or videos (real or fake)
- Evidence of supposedly illicit behavior
- Threats to release your browsing history or emails
- Claims that your device has been hacked
Most of the time, the threats are completely bogus. The scammer doesn’t have anything on you — but they hope the threat is enough to get you to panic and pay.
What It Looks Like
Blackmail scams can show up in your:
- Email inbox (often from your own email address, spoofed to look hacked)
- Text messages
- Social media DMs
🚩 Red flags include:
- Claims you were “caught on camera” doing something private or shameful
- Demands for payment in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin
- A time limit to “avoid exposure” (e.g., 24 hours)
- Technical gibberish about hacking your webcam or installing spyware
Extra Tricky:
Scammers can claim to have had access to your webcam, when you didn't even know it. This is a bluff. This scam is targeted at the people who will pay (fearful people). For a scammer, keeping track of days or weeks of individuals webcam footage for something the possibility of blackmail material would be extremely expensive. It's much easier just to threaten and use peoples' emotions against them.
Some scammers even include old passwords they found in data breaches — just to make the threat seem more real.
How to Respond
1. Don’t pay.
Scammers often send these messages in bulk. If you pay once, you’ll likely be targeted again.
2. Don’t reply.
Responding only confirms you saw the message — and makes you more of a target.
3. Change your passwords.
Especially if they include an old one in the message. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
4. Report the message.
To the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov) or the FTC. You can also report emails as spam or phishing in your email provider.
5. Talk to someone.
These scams are designed to isolate you. If you're scared, talk to a trusted friend or a professional. You’re not alone — and you’re not the only one getting these messages.
6. Cover your WebCams
Going forward it will be obvious the sender is lying about the message if they camera couldn't have recorded any footage.
Real Talk: Why They Work
Blackmail scams rely on shame, silence, and speed. The scammer wants to catch you off guard — make you panic, isolate you, and get you to act before you think.
But here’s the truth:
If they really had something on you, they wouldn’t warn you. They’d just post it. The threats are usually fake — and your best defense is staying calm and not engaging.
Bottom Line
Blackmail scams are emotional warfare. They make people feel scared, alone, and desperate to make it stop. But you can outsmart them by doing the exact opposite of what they want:
Pause. Verify. Don’t pay.
