We all have secrets, and some of them are so weird (or even shameful) that we would love the fact that nobody ever comes to know about it. It may be any past broken relationship, or a situation where you acted in such a way you was not supposed to. Let me share an example with you.
John is married, and had an extramarital affair with a girl Elizabeth, which ended on a breakup between the two. John didn’t want that his wife ever comes to know about his extramarital affair. Just imagine for a moment, how John would feel if somebody calls him and asks for a thousand bucks, and says that in case of non-payment, he would let his wife know about his secret extramarital affair. Certainly, it would be a great worry for him, and this is what is called blackmailing.
Before we go on to discuss the issue of online blackmailing, it will be quite handy if we define it first. Online blackmailing is an act of using secret information (of the one being blackmailed) to demand money or money in kind from anybody, over the internet. Blackmailing is a federal crime in the United States of America.
Many people that blackmailing over the internet are out of the scope of the laws relating to blackmailing. However, it is not the case. The laws of many countries of the world recognize the fact that the laws that apply to phone and mail communications are also relevant to the communication made over the internet. So it is not about the medium, it is about the message being conveyed.
What I Need to do if Somebody Blackmails Me Online?
I know you must be worried about your safety on the internet, as you have secrets too. So here are the ways you may adopt in case somebody blackmails you online and Webcam Blackmail.
Keep A Record:
The first thing you need to do is to keep a record of all the communication made between you and the blackmailer. You need to capture the screenshots of all the emails, online chats or whatever it is. Recording the phone call or Skype call through phone call recording software is also a very good idea.
Save It Virtually:
After that, save the screenshots and call recordings in some virtual hard drive over the internet, so that you do not lose it even if there is any problem with your physical hard drive.
Report The Website Authorities:
If the blackmailer is using the platform of some social media site, you need to discuss the problem with the website administrator and share all the screenshots with the authority. The admin may block the user from the site and it may solve your problem, as the blackmailer will not have access to you. However, this may not be the ultimate solution.
Report the matter to the Police:
In case the above mentioned solution doesn’t work and the blackmailer blackmails you through any other communication medium, it is the right time to involve the police authorities in the matter. Remember, online blackmailing is a punishable crime! It may be difficult for the authorities to capture the blackmailer if he is located outside your geographical region, but that doesn’t mean that you do not lodge an official complaint against the blackmailer.
A very important note:
Remember; do not ever fulfill the requirements of the blackmailer, as there is no guarantee that he will not blackmail you after he receives a large amount of money from you. So the best solution is to report the matter to the authorities.