Blackmail - serious question (2 Viewers)

[Mitchell0618]

yes

 

[Capella]

Do not pay! Run right into the fire. It’s just a ****, people might laugh but will ultimately forget about it. It won’t matter at all.

 

[Zow]

I dint think it was FB. On the list are my parents, who are deceased and long before FB, names i dont recognize, people on my wifes side of the family that i am not friends with.

Ah, so the issue is that you're married.

It sucks but Offdee is correct that there's no real fixing this. They're either going to follow through on their threat if you pay them or not. I know $200 isn't much and seems like it may be worth a shot, but paying it just demonstrates your willingness to pay and they'll likely just hit you up for more. And, as Offdee explained, you stay on their radar.

From a divorce attorney's perspective, I'd suggest making the report (even if doing so doesn't accomplish much). In my state, if you paid a scammer money doing so could be considered "waste" of marital funds and make matters worse. The best thing you can do is demonstrate that you tried to reasonably address - which is probably just making the report.

 

[culdeus]

i want to, i am just scared of the consequences. Do I call their bluff and say they can take their 1 shot and then I can go to police? or does that just make things worse?

Just tell people you got hacked and they are deep fakes if they leak. They won't.

 

[Zow]

I see @offdee has this handled.

My only two cents is that it may be worth making a report to law enforcement. They almost certainly cannot do anything, but at least it's then documented for the rare chance the blackmailer is local.

They’re almost certainly overseas. Though there have been a few cases of people in the US being behind it and getting caught eventually. So reporting to police could potentially save someone else down the line. But even if they’re in the US, it’s very doubtful that they are local.

Agree 100%. I nonetheless explained my reasoning in the above posts for still making the report.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Do not pay! Run right into the fire. It’s just a ****, people might laugh but will ultimately forget about it. It won’t matter at all.

Well, except probably to his wife.

 

[simey]

they did send texts with some pictures and snaps of conversation we had. going to text me at 9:00am today to get the Apple card information. If they did send out, could I go to police with the texts threatening me and their cell #?

If what you are saying is true, you are being extorted, and it is a cyber crime. I'd notify the police. I would not pay the extorter a penny. If they do end up sending out the picture(s) and messages, it will be embarrassing for you, but if I were a friend of yours and the extorter sent the pic/messages to me, I would not think less of you. People get scammed a lot these days. I wouldn't feed the scammer.

 

[Capella]

Do not pay! Run right into the fire. It’s just a ****, people might laugh but will ultimately forget about it. It won’t matter at all.

Well, except probably to his wife.

Where did he say he had a wife? I missed that part. In that case, uhhh I don’t know. Glllll?

 

[Mitchell0618]

I do have a wife

 

[Oracle]

I dint think it was FB. On the list are my parents, who are deceased and long before FB, names i dont recognize, people on my wifes side of the family that i am not friends with.

You’re married?

How will this impact your relationship with your wife?

Bump….

 

[Grahamburn]

I dint think it was FB. On the list are my parents, who are deceased and long before FB, names i dont recognize, people on my wifes side of the family that i am not friends with.

You’re married?

How will this impact your relationship with your wife?

She's the one blackmailing him.

 

[the moops]

I do have a wife

Keep your **** in your pants, expect with the wife.

Also, ignore and block number. 99.9999% chance nothing will come of this

 

[offdee]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

 

[simey]

I do have a wife

If the extorter sends the pics to her, then you have some explaining to do. Tell her the truth. Since you are sending these pics behind her back in the first place, you are already betraying her and your marriage. If all of this that you are saying is even true.

 

[Zow]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

Agree.

I think the main issue he should be considering is whether to preemptively tell his wife (or, and I'm not condoning this, concoct some story to get ahead of this).

 

[Zow]

I do have a wife

If the extorter sends the pics to her, then you have some explaining to do. Tell her the truth. Since you are sending these pics behind her back in the first place, you are already betraying her and your marriage. If all of this that you are saying is even true.

It's not Friday and these sorts of situations are common. I think this one is probably true.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Send me $100 in bitcoin and I’ll take care of this for you

 

[Zow]

Send me $100 in bitcoin and I’ll take care of this for you

"Even Gronk know that not real money."

 

[TennesseeJed]

start hiding

 

[3C's]

Collating the plan of action:

1. Just block the number and no further communication.

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

 

[offdee]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

Agree.

I think the main issue he should be considering is whether to preemptively tell his wife (or, and I'm not condoning this, concoct some story to get ahead of this).

No no no just keep it to yourself and lesson learned. Nothing is gonna happen. If the 1% chance that the pics get exposed happens, explain it then. No upside to outing it now.

 

[simey]

I do have a wife

If the extorter sends the pics to her, then you have some explaining to do. Tell her the truth. Since you are sending these pics behind her back in the first place, you are already betraying her and your marriage. If all of this that you are saying is even true.

It's not Friday and these sorts of situations are common. I think this one is probably true.

He has three minutes to decide. I'd call the bluff, and get ready for possible damage control.

 

[offdee]

Collating the plan of action:

1. Just block the number and no further communication.

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

Exactly this.

 

[the moops]

Collating the plan of action:

1. Just block the number and no further communication.

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

Exactly this.

Unless he has some rare distinguishing mark on his ****. Might work to blame it on AI except with the wife

 

[offdee]

Collating the plan of action:

1. Just block the number and no further communication.

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

Exactly this.

Unless he has some rare distinguishing mark on his ****. Might work to blame it on AI except with the wife

Or, ya know, his face is in the pics he sent, which is likely the case and why he’s freaking out. The scammers purposely ask you to see your face when requesting pics or vids.

 

[Ron Swanson]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

You're really very good at this. Maybe add to the 'ol resume? "Sr. Blackmail Neutralization Expert" has a nice ring to it.

 

[jhib]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

This seems right to me. The only possibility I see as leverage once any pics are released is if they have various pics of escalating... embarrassment potential?... and start off small.

 

[simey]

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

What if he has a distinguishing feature on his body that is shown in the photo that AI would not have been able to make up?

 

[Zow]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

Agree.

I think the main issue he should be considering is whether to preemptively tell his wife (or, and I'm not condoning this, concoct some story to get ahead of this).

No no no just keep it to yourself and lesson learned. Nothing is gonna happen. If the 1% chance that the pics get exposed happens, explain it then. No upside to outing it now.

That'd be what I'd do,* but our OP hero definitely seems antsy.

*To be clear, I wouldn't have done any of this in the first place so it's just a hypothetical to/for me.

 

[AAABatteries]

Peyronie's disease?

 

[Zow]

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

What if he has a distinguishing feature on his body that is shown in the photo that AI would not have been able to make up?

I was about to post the same. I've been with my wife long enough that I'm pretty sure she would be able to pick a certain part of me out of a lineup amongst others - or distinguish whether a picture of it is fake or real.

 

[the moops]

Collating the plan of action:

1. Just block the number and no further communication.

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

Exactly this.

Unless he has some rare distinguishing mark on his ****. Might work to blame it on AI except with the wife

Or, ya know, his face is in the pics he sent, which is likely the case and why he’s freaking out. The scammers purposely ask you to see your face when requesting pics or vids.

Nah, the face is easy to get from social media

 

[Bossman]

I agree with everyone else. Ignoring them is your best chance for this to go away.

Worst case scenarios;
A) Pay the $200 ... and expect to pay another $200 every month or so ...which at some point you will stop and said photos get posted
B) Don't pay the $200 and said photos get posted
I would rather be embarrassed without rewarding the scumbag.

We all do stupid things and make dumb decisions., if photos get posted (which they probably wont), embrace it, ... laugh it off and ask for forgiveness.
Most people will understand and it will eventually be forgotten.
Stop responding to them. Block them. Forget it ever happened. They will likely move on to the next victim.

 

[brun]

Keep sending pics. As many as you can, constantly. Eventually they'll pay you to stop.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

If the blackmailer starts asking you to run little sketchy errands around town -- like delivering a cake to some random person -- don't do it.

 

[offdee]

We all do stupid things and make dumb decisions., if photos get posted (which they probably wont), embrace it, ... laugh it off and ask for forgiveness.
Most people will understand and it will eventually be forgotten.

Except that little ole wife of his.

 

[Capella]

I do have a wife

Oh.

 

[AAABatteries]

Have you ever sent these types of pics to your wife? If so, easy out is hack/AI.

Also, ask them if they’d settle for a gift card to Sizzler.

 

[Bossman]

Keep sending pics. As many as you can, constantly. Eventually they'll pay you to stop.

Oh, even better ... send photos your face photoshopped onto well endowed male models. Sculped abbs and such. Lots of them.
Let them post all of those and have a good laugh.

 

[offdee]

Keep sending pics. As many as you can, constantly. Eventually they'll pay you to stop.

hey, can you use this one..better angle, makes me look bigger.

 

[fruity pebbles]

This happened to a friend’s 16 yo son. Same exact thing. He was working overtime sending them gift cards.

 

[Mitchell0618]

so far no text, so i dont know if they gave up, havent gotten to text me yet, or decided to just send out pics.

 

[offdee]

so far no text, so i dont know if they gave up, havent gotten to text me yet, or decided to just send out pics.

Block the number!! You’re gonna drive yourself crazy.

 

[matttyl]

Keep sending pics. As many as you can, constantly. Eventually they'll pay you to stop.

So the Baby Reindeer approach?

 

[Oracle]

very very unlikely they send anything to your contacts. There really is no upside to that for them other than a slightly better chance of getting caught and their operation ending.

Once they send stuff they no longer have any leverage to blackmail you. They don’t know you or care about you..you’re just a potential mark.

It’s scary but it will just go away if you ignore it. You’ll be fine.

Agree.

I think the main issue he should be considering is whether to preemptively tell his wife (or, and I'm not condoning this, concoct some story to get ahead of this).

If the situation you are in will be a problem with your s/o, do not concoct a story. Wives will investigate/continue to question you on every detail. If something is off in your answers to her, you will only have gotten yourself into a worse situation.

 

[AAABatteries]

Did you use a picture of yourself on the site and/or is your face visible in your **** pic? How do they even know it’s you and you didn’t just send some random pic?

 

[Oracle]

You’re married?

How will this impact your relationship with your wife?

This is likely why he’s freaking out more than his plumber seeing his wang.

He sent D pics to some random person (who he thought was a hot chick)

Seemed like an important detail to leave out of the initial post…

 

[offdee]

Did you use a picture of yourself on the site and/or is your face visible in your **** pic? How do they even know it’s you and you didn’t just send some random pic?

They likely requested to see his face in pics, or they did a call with him where she started off with the nastiness and he returned the favor and they did a screen recording of it. He’s not telling us all the real details.

 

[3C's]

2. If they send them out, just tell everyone that the photos are faked with AI and that you are a victim of an extortion scam.

What if he has a distinguishing feature on his body that is shown in the photo that AI would not have been able to make up?

"Honey, I know you haven't been with many other men but everyone has freckles on their ****."

 

[fruity pebbles]

Did you use a picture of yourself on the site and/or is your face visible in your **** pic? How do they even know it’s you and you didn’t just send some random pic?

They likely requested to see his face in pics, or they did a call with him where she started off with the nastiness and he returned the favor and they did a screen recording of it. He’s not telling us all the real details.

That’s what they did to my friends kid. He did a video call with a couple and they screen shotted him whacking it. Sent it to his mom. She was traumatized.