How To Stop Someone From Blackmailing You

Blackmailing is a crime that involves threatening a person to give you money, do certain illegal activities, or demand sexual favours, in exchange for maintaining the secrecy of your private information.

The blackmailer takes inordinate control of your life and constantly invades your privacy. It puts the victim through the constant pressure of surveillance and the fear of consequences in case they leak their private data.

The use of the internet and open platforms like social media channels have further added to the vulnerability.

And insecurities double up when this is combined with the abuse of advanced technology. In such a situation, it can get extremely challenging to contemplate how to stop someone from blackmailing you. Do not lose hope; we’ve got your back.

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Thinking About How to Stop Someone From Blackmailing You?

Handling blackmail can be a testing time. Most victims often severely panic and commit mistakes that create a broader scope for the blackmailer to execute their malicious intentions.

Continue reading to understand how to stop someone from blackmailing you with the help of some highly secure and effective ways. Follow these steps mindfully and diligently to control the situation to a great extent.

Carefully Evaluate the Situation

The blackmailer does not necessarily have to be the Hollywood-style person wearing a black hat, holding a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whisky in another, jotting down the worst things for you.

Yes, sometimes the blackmailer can just be a cheap bluff who just wants to enjoy fooling you around and seeing you deeply stressed.

Therefore, when wondering about how to stop someone from blackmailing you, it is crucial to self-evaluate at first.

Ask yourself whether there is any ground for blackmailing at all. Do not panic.

Hold yourself together with calm and patience and reflect upon past instances. You will know whether it is just a cheap trick or it holds water.

Remember, There Will be a Solution

Dealing with blackmailing can be a seriously exhausting experience, but losing confidence will only make you fall prey at the hands of the perpetrator.

Hence, whether you are dealing with blackmail, sextortion, coercion, or internet blackmail, it is essential to remain as calm and composed as possible.

The more you get nervous or agitated, the greater control the perpetrator will have over the situation. Please bear in mind that you are a victim of a crime, and be assured that you have legal protections.

Avoid Fulfilling Their Demands

One of the most common forms of blackmail is asking for ransom or any other form of payoff in exchange for an act you are unwilling to do.

While pondering over how to stop someone from blackmailing you, you may tend to believe that fulfilling their demand is the fastest and safest way to get rid of them.

But hold on; it’s a trap! Doing so will only encourage them to extort more money or get you doing more ugly things.

It would, therefore, be wise to fully ignore them and see if the situation cools down. Either the blackmailer will simply go away, or they may continue threatening you.

The point is to show them your resilience because following their commands will only motivate them to make more of those.

End All Communication with the Blackmailer

Victims often tend to extract more information about the blackmailer, such as their contact details, social media handles, etc., wanting to expose them.

You may also end up begging them to not misuse your private data. However, believe it or not, this is the last thing you’d want to do as it can worsen the situation.

So, seem strong by avoiding talking to them. Instead, speak to a reliable and trustworthy person and discuss the situations you are tackling.

They might hear you with a fresh perspective and notice something important that you’ve been missing out on.

Block Them Away

Not responding to their calls and messages alone may not suffice. You must make sure that their messages don’t reach you in the first place.

This helps prevent the ways in which they want to play around with your fear psyche.

Hence, several blackmailers give up when you block them. Therefore, block the blackmailer and also ask your family and friends to do so. And we do not mean simply blocking them over calls and texts.

You must also do the same across all your social media accounts. If possible, ask your friends and family to do the same, as it’ll help create a stronger and broader shield.

Practise Social Media Hibernation for a While

Another way to get out of touch is deactivating your social media accounts while reflecting on how to stop someone from blackmailing you.

This is more than just blocking. It will prevent them from reaching out to you from anywhere on the platform and blackmailing you for posting your private media.

It significantly helps in taking away the power they’ve been torturing you with.

Alternatively, if the blackmailer is a known person, you may want to take some action without their knowledge. You can report the person on the respective platform.

Get in touch with the customer support team, and provide them with the blackmailer’s username, email address, or phone number.

Explain since when and how they’re trying to blackmail you and the customer support executive may help you by restricting the account.

If they have posted your photos and videos on any other website, you must contact the site manager through the contact page on their website and ask them to remove the unauthorized data.

Set Up a Google Alert for Added Security

It is an extra step ahead for better awareness and enhanced security. Google allows you to set up Google alerts for your name.

It will help you immediately identify any photos or information that they post about you.

All you need to do is visit google.com/alerts, type your name in the search bar, and press enter.

Look for the Spy-eye

There is a high chance that the blackmailer is tracking your day-to-day actions, either by themselves or through cameras.

Therefore, check for any hidden cameras in and around your home. You can buy hidden camera detectors.

Turning on your Bluetooth and scanning for unknown devices can also help you get some clues.

It is also advisable to put a sticker on your webcam in order to eliminate any possibility of cyber-spying.

Reach Out to a Professional

If nothing helps, you can always seek assistance from a professional investigator.

They have the necessary skills and resources and can help you analyse the threat posed by the blackmailer and its potential consequences.

They will also chalk out an extensive strategy to help you break through the vicious cycle of blackmailing.

In addition, they will ensure your and your family’s protection. Plus, you will have their back during any sort of reporting or legal proceedings.

Do Not Hesitate to Contact the Police

Reporting the matter to the police is of course a direct, strong, and legal way to confront the blackmailer.

However, one of the most notable drawbacks of this method is that you can barely control the situation, and you cannot reasonably estimate when you will get the expected solution.

It may also get challenging to escape unwanted media attention.

Please know that the police or judicial authorities can take strict action only if there is a solid cause for it or when a criminal offense has been committed.

In other words, there must be clearly a criminal offence committed by the blackmailer in order for an investigation to follow and prosecute the perpetrator.