WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE BLACKMAILS YOU ONLINE
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST CYBER EXTORTION, COERCIVE CRIMES
Facing an extortion attempt or at the receiving end of a blackmail bid online? Then waste no time. Nip it in the bud, by reporting perpetrators to authorities right away, instead of suffering quietly.
Such was the main thrust of a new information drive by UAE police – encouraging victims to report the matter through the proper channels, which will handle cases with utmost confidentiality.
Recently, Abu Dhabi Police outlined common mistakes exploited by blackmailers and extortionists.
These include: (1) weak religious faith; (2) fake relationships; (3) frequenting suspicious websites; (4) emotional emptiness; (5) neglect in socialisation; (6) addiction to surfing social networking sites; (7) and parents’ failure to monitor and care for their children.
The force, in a statement, highlighted the dangers of cyber extortion and called on community members to avoid the following:
Do not accept friend requests from strangers.
Do not publish private photos and videos on social media or send them to unknown people.
Beware of fake accounts on social media platforms.
Beware of dating sites and applications, as they are often the beginning of the hunt for potential victims.
Fake accounts
Authorities have warned people to be wary of fake accounts on social media. Outwardly, they may show a rather harmless motive — that of one seeking innocent acquaintances — but, in truth, they may be used as baits for online criminal acts.
Upon acquaintance, a live broadcast is opened with the camera and the victim is filmed in an immoral situation.
The Abu Dhabi Police statement also explained ways to prevent extortion:
Don’t succumb to extortion. Don’t respond to extortion requests.
Don’t send any sums of money under any direct threat
Report extortion attempts by contacting the ‘Aman’ service 24/7, on the toll-free number 8002626 (800AMAN), or by text message (2828). These round-the-clock services operate in complete secrecy.
Under UAE law, blackmail is a criminal offence carrying punitive sanctions for convicted perpetrators. Article 16 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2021 prescribes penalties that may include imprisonment of up to 2 years and/or fines of at least Dh250,000 but not more than Dh500,000.
Lawyer’s take
Extortion is a crime committed by coercively exploiting very sensitive personal information — a personal video clip, or private and family photos, where the blackmailer threatens to publish such material online or through social media if you do not submit to his demand or perform an illegal and immoral act that he asks of you.
Lawyer Khalid Al Ahbabi of Khalid Bin Jamhour Al Ahbabi for Legal Consultation and Advocacy explained to Gulf News: “The perpetrator of the crime of extortion aims to achieve vengeful, immoral, political, and other motives in the event that the victim does not comply with some requests or stop doing some actions, and this information or that data is usually confidential because it is embarrassing or of a nature that makes it socially destructive.”
Al Ahbabi proffers the following advice to people who encounter electronic blackmail:
Cut off contact and immediately end the relationship with the blackmailer.
Don’t continue negotiating. Do not give in to the threat to avoid doubling the risks.
Control feelings of fear and anxiety and reach out to the helpline in utmost confidentiality. Inform police authorities. Attempt to prove the fact of extortion, whether by witnesses or any document.
As for parents, Al Ahbabi advises: “In order to protect children from exposure to extortion, children must be made aware of the methods, threats and inform them of the reporting mechanisms, or urge them to inform the guardian so that he can follow the correct legal procedures.”
Ibrahim Al Thahli, an Emirati writer and a journalist told Gulf News: “[Online blackmail] can take place in any online service, website or mobiles applications. Blackmailers may be more likely to make threats on private messaging services where images and videos can be shared.
“However, they may threaten to share information or images in more public social media services – such as their favourite social media platform.
Al Thahli added: “Do not publish any personal information of yours to the public and do not send video clips or personal or family photos to others, no matter how strong your relationship with them is.”
He added: “But when you are exposed to blackmail and threat to do any illegal or immoral act or to pay money to the extortionist, the first step you must take is to report to the police via the tollfree number, or through the websites designated by the Ministry of Interior to report these crimes.”