Victims of blackmail never imagine that they would find themselves on the wrong end of a video camera. And that some stranger in a far-off land would demand money to prevent exposure. Victims have no clue about the threats, stress, and potential destruction about to rear its ugly head. If you play online and do not protect your identity, you risk losing everything. The rule of thumb is, if it is too good to be true, it is. Ask yourself, why me? Why is this super-hot model looking lady chatting with me, and want to see my goods? Am I all that? Or, is this too good to be true?





Both men and women fall victim to sextortion, although in different schemes. Women start off in an online romance scam, then they are extorted. Blackmailers snare men easily, and quickly, it is like shooting fish in a barrel. So, before you go digital hunting, have rules, and create boundaries. Understand that the one you connect with is an unidentified stranger. Which means you have no clue if they are man, woman, blackmailer, or romance scammer. Yeah, I know their profile reads; they work in a gym, are a psych major, and loves puppies. They even have a Facebook profile to prove it. I bet dollars to doughnuts; the Facebook profile does not have a family member that shares the same surname. Creating fake accounts are a piece of cake.





Victims are blinded by the photos, and desperately want them to be real. For some, it is the closest they will ever get to having something intimate with someone so beautiful. The downfall is the instant gratification, I want it, and I want it now. Wake up, man; it is a profile photo and nothing more. So slow your roll and play private detective. If your child were chatting online, you would be laying down some law, and knocking some sense into their head. Why not the same for you? You are an adult, haven't you figured out everything is an illusion.





Websites like Adult Friend Finder, Seeking, and Ashley Madison supposedly caters to discretion; if you believe that I will be more than happy to sell you a bridge. There is no discretion on the internet or websites where you are looking to hook up and have sex. Do you think the site owners screen users and confirm identities? That is a big fat no!





The best place to locate a big fish victim is on a site of discretion. There is an automatic assumption that the potential victim has something hide, be it a wife or a professional reputation. Many blackmailers hunt doctors, lawyers, financiers, and such. They got the big bucks. That's not to say the everyday guy does not get snagged.





The face value problem is when you click on a profile photo, and you say to yourself, yeah, this is the one. Your imagination runs wild. Instead of saying to yourself, hmm, this could be a fake profile I should be cautious, you press or slide to connect. There is a reply, you chat a bit and leave the app. Perhaps to Skype, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, or SMS. The mighty question is, are any of these connected to your identity?





For example, does Skype have your name in the profile? Did you open Google Hangouts with your real email address? Is that email address floating around online and can identify you? What about WhatsApp, is your profile photo, your face? One could easily upload your picture to Yandex or TinEye and find your LinkedIn or company website profile. Giving a mobile phone number to a stranger is the big-time killer. If that mobile is in your name, a scammer can search a five-dollar database and get the goods. I’m not advocating cheating, but if you are playing online, make sure the information you share does not connect to you, your spouse, or work. Blackmail can reach beyond the victim and destroy their family and get them fired. I guess you can say blackmail is a family affair.





While chatting, the blackmailer is slowly seducing and extracting personal data. What city do you live in, what type of work do you do, do you have children, what are their names, and are you married? Bingo, a dossier is created. You will receive a few hot photos, reciprocation is expected. If you do, you are bagged and tagged. Such is the simplicity of sextortion.





How do you identify if you are chatting with a blackmailer?





YOU DON'T! YOU SIMPLY DO NOT PROVIDE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO AN UNIDENTIFIED STRANGER OR SEND NUDE PHOTOS OR GO LIVE ON VIDEO!