Threats, Blackmail & Extortion
Someone threatening to expose or hurt you unless you pay.
'Hitman / Someone Paid Me to Hurt You' Threat
A message claims someone hired the sender to harm you, but they'll call it off if you pay — a frightening but empty extortion sent to many people.
Read the guide →'I Know Your Password' Breach-Data Extortion
An email includes one of your old passwords (from a data breach) as 'proof' of a hack and demands crypto to not release embarrassing footage that doesn't exist.
Read the guide →Bomb-Threat / DDoS Ransom (Business Extortion)
A business receives a threat — a bomb 'planted' on premises or a promised website attack — demanding crypto to prevent it, usually an empty mass threat.
Read the guide →Consumer Ransomware ('Your Files Are Encrypted')
Malware locks or encrypts your files and demands a crypto ransom to restore them — often arriving through a malicious attachment, download, or fake update.
Read the guide →Doxxing / 'Pay or We Leak Your Data'
A scammer threatens to publish your personal information (address, contacts, private data) online unless you pay.
Read the guide →Fake Law-Enforcement 'Pay the Fine or Be Arrested'
A caller posing as police, the FBI, or a court demands immediate payment of a 'fine' to avoid arrest — sometimes citing missed jury duty, a crime, or an unpaid ticket.
Read the guide →Reputation / 'We'll Post This' Review Extortion
A scammer threatens to flood a business with fake negative reviews or post damaging content unless the owner pays to make it stop.
Read the guide →Sextortion & Blackmail Scams
An email or text claims to have a webcam video of you and demands Bitcoin to keep it private.
Read the guide →
Not sure which one you’ve got?
Paste the message into ScamSplainand we’ll tell you what it looks like.