How to Get Rid of Online Blackmailers in 2024 [5 Easy Ways]

Oh, to think you’re safe on the internet as long as you stay away from the dark web or any illegal or harmful activity! Turns out criminals have found their way here, and not just to the internet but to confidential information and intellectual property of their victims as well.

While you could have avoided such situations by taking several precautionary measures, what’s bound to happen, will happen. So, what are you supposed to do when a blackmailer is just outside your door (digital, of course), demanding ransom? Well, first you need to be well-informed on how cyber blackmailing works, then move on to what you should do to get rid of these blackmailers.

How Cyber Blackmailing Works

Cyber blackmailing can take many forms, yet the core strategy remains the same, that is to use the fear of harm to pressure victims into paying a ransom. This approach often succeeds, but mainly when the target is not well-informed or aware of their tactics and weighs the consequences of a compromised system, ultimately falling into their trap.

But how do these threat actors get their hands on such vulnerabilities, you ask?

1. Infiltration: The first step is infiltration, and there are quite a few methods for this. It may be an untargeted attack, where the aim is to break into as many devices or systems as possible, or it may be a targeted attack in which the threat actors are specifically after a particular organization and may employ various methods, all of which depend on the objective of the attack.
2. Propagation: Once inside a system, the next step is to get a hold of sensitive information.
3. Extortion: With the victim’s data in hand, the attackers demand a ransom (usually cryptocurrency). Victims are typically left with no choice (or at least that’s what they presume) but to pay for the decryption key, cessation of the attack, or release of the personal data.
4. Persistence: After the payout, the attackers should provide the means to recover the data or restore the system. However, their end of the bargain is not always kept, as one would expect from criminals. But it doesn’t just end there! Many times, attackers leave their presence in the system for potential future attacks, particularly if their initial attempt was successful.

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How Blackmailers Gain Access to Sensitive Data

You know when they said, “Knowledge is the key to success,” they probably didn’t think it would apply to understanding criminology. But one must know the strategies of committing a crime to prevent them, right?

1. Ransomware

It is a type of malware that infects a network or system and encrypts all the data it finds. The goal is to block the target from accessing their files or even entire devices, with access only reinstated when the demanded ransom is paid.

There are numerous ways to deploy ransomware, yet the most common method remains the use of phishing emails. Threat actors impersonate a trusted entity, tricking recipients into opening an attachment. This action installs malware (typically ransomware) on the computer, encrypting all the target’s data.

In fact, some types of malware are designed to spread to other devices and systems, maximizing the impact of the infection. But there are many indirect ways in which victims can erroneously download malicious files from the internet, which often contain the malware.

2. DDos Attacks

In some attacks, the aim is not to encrypt data but rather to flood the network servers with a high volume of simulated web traffic, rendering the system unavailable. This is called a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, which can put the organization at risk, especially for e-commerce businesses that rely entirely on website accessibility and availability to make sales.

The threat actors demand ransom to halt the attack. At times though, the threat actors may not even need to launch a DDoS attack, as the mere threat of deploying it can get the organization to pay up.

3. Data Breaching

Cybercriminals identify security vulnerabilities or use trial-and-error methods to bypass security measures within the system. They then sift through the data to gather as much sensitive information as possible, which they later threaten to reveal unless their demands are met.

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Types of Cyber Blackmailing

Whether targeted or untargeted, getting through to your information is done by looking for vulnerabilities in the software, hardware, or human factors that can get them into the system without being detected. Only then can they start controlling the victim’s behavior. But what type of blackmail are we talking about here?

• Personal Information: Scammers obtain access to personal data such as social security numbers or login credentials, which they threaten to misuse unless their demands are met.
• Account Takeover: Blackmailers gain access to online accounts and gather sensitive data, which they threaten to expose unless victims comply with their demands.

• Fake Profiles/Catfishing: Fake social media profiles befriend and then manipulate their victims. They indirectly coerce victims into sharing personal information or explicit content, which is later used for blackmailing.
• Extortion: Blackmailers hold potentially harmful information against the victim as leverage . In most cases, they hack into victims’ webcams to record compromising videos or gain access to their personal devices and search for similar pre-existing content. In return for not sharing these materials, they may even demand more compromising pictures and videos. However, with the rise of AI and deepfakes, emotional vulnerability is what they primarily seek in their victims.
• Doxxing: Cybercriminals obtain personal information which they threaten to release publicly for harassment or intimidation. In exchange for not disclosing this information though, they demand a heavy ransom, usually in the form of cryptocurrency.

READ MORE: What is Doxxing & Is Doxxing Illegal? Explained for 2024 ➜

How to Get Rid of Blackmailers

While cybercriminals have always been in the picture, there has been a surge in this crime field since the development of cryptocurrencies. Not to argue that ransom is not always in the form of capital, but it is the most common still. And while physical exchanges could be surveilled and tracked, digital currency has made it easier for threat actors to conceal their identities and origins.

And when you fall prey to these culprits, the fear of defamation or harm takes over, leading victims to make decisions which often cause more harm than help. So how are you to turn the tables and regain control? Haven’t you heard, where there’s a will, there’s definitely a way!

1. Cease Communication With the Blackmailer

As much as you may be tempted to pay the ransom and hope they’ll go away, this is the last thing you should do in such a situation. In fact, this behavior only encourages the blackmailer, as you appear to be an easy target.

For this reason, it’s best to stop all engagement and negotiation. Usually, they go away on their own when the target ignores them completely. Some may follow through with even more aggressive threats. There isn’t a clear predictor of what blackmailers will actually do, but giving them what they want rarely works, that’s for sure!

2. Update Your Privacy Settings

Your goal is to close all doorways of communication through which the blackmailer might contact you. Start by changing your privacy settings from public to private on all your socials, including those they haven’t contacted you through.

Next, ask your friends or family members whom you think the blackmailer can reach you through. Many blackmailers give up when they can’t reach you directly, while some may use your close ones as a tool to get to you. So, it’s best to shut all possible communication channels with that person beforehand.

And while you’re at it, update all your passwords, even for accounts that haven’t been compromised (yet). This locks out any other devices that may have accessed those accounts.

READ MORE: What to Do If Your Phone Has Been Hacked – The Complete Guide ➜

3. Document for Evidence

Your journey doesn’t just end there. To ensure they never come back to you or target others, they must face consequences. And for that to be possible, you need solid evidence. Start by capturing screenshots of every exchange and blackmail threat, recording personally identifying information such as usernames, emails, or phone numbers, chat logs, and even dates and times of anything they post.

If you suspect your device may be compromised, use a separate USB drive to move all the evidence there. After all, the more evidence you have against the blackmailer, the stronger your case will be.

4. Report the Incident

Take your collected evidence to the local police station and other authorities to file a report. This is extremely important if the crime is local. Each state or country will have different laws when it comes to cyber blackmailing, however, it is considered illegal almost everywhere.

Next, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), which deals with all-things-cybercrime. Simply fill out the online IC3 form, add your personal information, describe the incident, provide evidence, agree to the terms and conditions, sign, and submit. These reports will be forwarded to the responsible local, state, federal, or international law enforcement agency for further investigation.

You should also notify the platform about such abusive activity. Most platforms take user privacy and security very seriously. Reporting these incidents often leads to the immediate restriction of the offending account. Customer support is vigilant in such cases and takes prompt action.

5. Hire an Attorney

For further legal proceedings, you’ll want to hire an attorney to represent your case in court. They will inform you about your rights and guide you through the legal steps needed to bring the criminal to justice.

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What’s the Next Step?

To ensure it doesn’t happen to you again:

• Be mindful of what you’re sharing online and even what you keep on your devices.
• Awareness is the next step. In most cases, blackmailers are merely bluffing, hoping someone will take the bait. The more informed you are about common scams, the faster you can call out their bluff.
• Protecting yourself also means safeguarding your accounts. To make it as difficult as possible for hackers to access your accounts, use strong passwords with a mix of characters, numbers, and symbols.

• While you’re at it, turn on two-factor authentication so that you can easily keep track of all your active sessions and even suspicious login attempts.
• Keep your webcams covered and use secured Wi-Fi networks, especially when logging into accounts and viewing sensitive information.
• Manually remove your information from data broker sites. These are companies that gather personal information and sell it to the highest bidders for profit.
• Regularly back up data so that in case it gets encrypted, you don’t have to pay ransom to regain access.

Care is better than cure and the truth is, the more information you put out there, the higher the chances that cybercriminals can use it against you.