Online extortion – What should you do?

Cybercriminals use emails, social media, or hacked accounts to put pressure on people. Their aim is usually to extort money or force their victims to do something. By staying calm, refusing to pay and taking a step-by-step approach, you can limit the harm.

Online extortion can take various forms. Cybercriminals may, for example, threaten to publish intimate images or videos, known as sextortion, or use ransomware to encrypt data and demand a ransom.

The most important thing: Stay calm and don't pay

Do not respond to claims and don't take any rash action. Paying does not guarantee that the scammers will delete the data or that they won't publish it. It also shows them that you are willing to pay, which often leads to further demands. In addition, by paying you are supporting criminals and encouraging further criminal activity.

Bear in mind, too, that many extortion attempts are based on empty threats. Cybercriminals often send threatening emails in bulk without having any actual images or videos, hoping that recipients will pay out of fear or shame (Fake Sextortion).

Extortion can put people under considerable pressure, causing feelings of shame or fear. If you are affected by extortion, try talking to someone you trust about what has happened. If you are finding the situation very distressing, professional counselling can also help. There is a victim support counselling centre in every canton, providing free and confidential assistance. In urgent situations, you can reach the national victim support service on 142 at any time of day or night.

What should you do if extortion material has already been published?

It can be extremely distressing to have personal, private or sensitive information shared online. In cases of online harassment or cyberbullying, people may be deliberately humiliated, harassed or threatened, for example through the sharing of compromising content on social media or via messaging services.

If compromising material has already been published online, it is crucial to act swiftly. Report the content to the relevant platform immediately. Most social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, allow you to report content that has been shared without your consent. In many cases, the platforms are required to review and remove reported content. At the same time, you can ask Google to remove the relevant content from its search results. You should also set up a Google Alert with your name to be notified of any new content that appears. Be aware that material published online may already have been copied and shared elsewhere. It may therefore be impossible to remove it completely from the internet. In any case, report the matter to the police.

What to do if you are being extorted

  • Break off all contact with the blackmailers and ignore any further messages.
  • Save all evidence: This includes images and videos, the blackmailers' contact details, all messages, including chat histories and emails, and information on any transactions.
  • Report the incident to the police. You can find your nearest police station on the Suisse ePolice website (available in German, French and Italian).
  • If your content has been published, or if scammers are threatening to publish it, contact the relevant platform immediately (such as YouTube, Facebook or Instagram) and request that it be deleted.
  • If the incident is linked to a compromised account, you should immediately change all affected passwords from a secure device and enable two-factor authentication. For further information, see Device infected – What should you do?
  • To be notified of any new content, set up a Google Alert with your name.
  • If business or sensitive personal data is affected, the case may need to be reported to the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC).

Further information

Another fake sextortion scam: Now the scammers know where you live

Malware
Device infected – What should you do?

Data loss
Data loss - What should you do?

Sextortion
Swiss Crime Prevention (SCP): Sextortion (German, French and Italian)