Extortion threats
What to do when a threat lands in your inbox
The instinct is to reply, delete it or pay to make it go away. All three can make things worse.
Do
Keep the message exactly as it arrived
Screenshot everything, with dates and times
Tell one trusted person straight away
Report it to the police
Get expert advice before you respond to anything
Tighten privacy settings across the family
Don't
Reply, however tempting it feels
Delete it or block the sender before it is saved
Pay, even a small amount to buy time
Try to find out who sent it yourself
Post about it publicly
Assume it is nothing because it looks amateur
Remember: Silence buys you time. Panic buys them leverage.
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