Someone threatening to spread fake images/video of me performing a sex act, what to do?

[Fotheringay-Phipps]

I find the OP’s story very plausible, and think all the rebuttals are unconvincing.

ISTM that the premise underlying all the suspicion is that the whole idea of these videos is no big deal to begin with, so if you could “refute” them being you then all is well (and a further assumption that the woman herself knows this to be a widespread attitude).

However, as Loach observed earlier, this is not the reality of most people’s mindsets - agree or not, most people would be extremely distressed at having video of themselves masturbating distributed to their friends and relatives etc.

Further, it’s extremely common for faked pictures, or even video (e.g. “Obama kicking in the door” comes to mind), to circulate on the internet, and fool quite a lot of people. You get all these discussions with experts and self-declared experts debating back-and-forth whether this or that picture is real or not, with in-depth analysis of subtle signs this way and that way. If someone sent out photo-shopped pictures of someone else masturbating it’s very unlikely that their friends and relatives etc. would analyze it in enough depth to determine one way or the other, and in any event many people tend to be taken in by these, as above.

I myself have never engaged in any online chats with any female strangers so it’s not like there would even be any basis for someone to tie something like this to me, but if someone would contact me with a threat to distribute photo-shopped pictures of me engaging in sex acts I would not be pleased. I’d like to think I would resist blackmail under any circumstances and especially dubious circumstances like this one, but the facts are that many people are willing to pay up to blackmailer, and it’s a reasonable shot for a scammer to take.

And it’s not like every scam is based on a coldly calculated and accurate assessment of the likelihood of this or that scam working. People are thinking of this in terms of some vast business enterprise headed up by a shrewd big-time scammer, but it might be some pathetic amateur down on her luck and looking for cash for her next fix, and trying something similar to what she’s heard of other people pulling.

Bottom line, again, I think the skepticism is unwarranted. Of course, you never know, as with everything else posted to this or any MB.

[Loach]

@TokyoBayer

Apparently these blackmailers usually target certain countries such as n the Middle East where it would be embarrassing to have a wank video published. I read an article somewhere about them getting people to jerk off and then they blackmail them.

I know it’s come up more than twice in my career but the two similar cases I remember one involved a Muslim man. His case also had a threat of financial extortion. The other case involved an under age girl. With her the guy wanted her to continue to do sexual things on camera for him. It is extremely hard to find out the identity of the suspect and they are often overseas.

[VinylTurnip]

It kinda depends on the content of the video, too. If it’s a splice of the OP’s head chatting about Brexit or the iPhone X while he’s supposedly jackin’ it, it’ll be less convincing than if he’s moaning “oh YEAH… oh YEAH!!!”

[Gatopescado]

@Projammer

Personally I’d tell them to go for it, but I’ve also got a tattoo that would show up in any porn starring me so the fake would be easy to disprove.

Does it say, “*Welcome to Jamaica, Mon! Have a Nice Day!”?

Also, great Username/post combo!

[Loach]

@VinylTurnip

It kinda depends on the content of the video, too. If it’s a splice of the OP’s head chatting about Brexit or the iPhone X while he’s supposedly jackin’ it, it’ll be less convincing than if he’s moaning “oh YEAH… oh YEAH!!!”

Have you met Apple fans?

[Jophiel]

Progress marches on, in its own fashion and for certain definitions of “progress”.

We now have AI programs allowing us to import celebrity faces virtually seamlessly into porn clips. That’s a link to an article, of course, and not the program. I say “celebrity” because it’s easiest to find the requisite number of photos for the AI to get a good import but you could theoretically do the same with someone with a thousand Facebook selfies.

[Mangetout]

@Projammer

You might try bluffing and tell her that without your tattoo in the video there’s no way anyone would believe it.

I reckon that’s probably the quickest and simplest way to shut it down - claim you have a belly tattoo* or a distinctive birthmark that will be conspicuous in its absence.

*Or the word ‘Ludo’ tattooed on your dick. (on a warmer day it reads ‘Llandudno’)

[Morgenstern]

Photoshop a 4 inch wiener on her nose and ask if she really wants to play this game.

[Mangetout]

I guess I only have one question…

Was this the same event where you ‘spilled soy sauce’ on your laptop?

[Sam_Stone]

I’m guessing there was never an intent to actually try to make a video. This is more like a spam call from fake ‘microsoft techs’ demanding the password to your computer because they detected viruses remotely and want to remove them. Most people tell them to go to hell, but they only need to land an occasional fish to make it worthwhile, since the calls are so cheap.

My guess is that if you say no she will try to ramp up the threat level a bit, then eventually just go away and try another mark.

[Shodan]

@Sam_Stone

I’m guessing there was never an intent to actually try to make a video. This is more like a spam call from fake ‘microsoft techs’ demanding the password to your computer because they detected viruses remotely and want to remove them. Most people tell them to go to hell, but they only need to land an occasional fish to make it worthwhile, since the calls are so cheap.

My guess is that if you say no she will try to ramp up the threat level a bit, then eventually just go away and try another mark.

If he ignores it, I suspect that will be the end of it.

Because what I suspect happened was
[ul][li]He - not she, he - joined the dating website[/ul][/li][ul][li]He pulled a bunch of names of men from the site[/ul][/li][ul][li]Sent the same email to all the names threatening blackmail with videos of them bopping it[/ul][/li][ul][li]Those who never chatted with any women on the site ignored it [/ul][/li][ul][li]Some who did reacted [/ul][/li][ul][li]Some of those might possibly fall for it and send him money [/ul]There was never any video, there never will be any video. This is a bluff. [/li]
Regards,
Shodan

[Voyager]

Since these things happened 4 months ago, I assumed that there was no followup.

As for the Windows company assholes, I’ve found that saying nasty things about their mothers gets them really pissed. No chance to play with them since I got NoMoRobo, however.

[Jophiel]

@Voyager

Since these things happened 4 months ago, I assumed that there was no followup.

I assume so as well. I only bumped it because, at the time, the consensus was that no one was going to make a plausible video of him (something I agreed with). Now it looks as though we’re rapidly getting closer to that not being the case.

Of course, pasting someone’s face on a body – however realistically – isn’t going to copy your actual body type, tattoos, moles, scars, etc. But chances are most of your friends don’t know all of your moles and lumpy portions either.

[Voyager]

@Jophiel

I assume so as well. I only bumped it because, at the time, the consensus was that no one was going to make a plausible video of him (something I agreed with). Now it looks as though we’re rapidly getting closer to that not being the case.

Of course, pasting someone’s face on a body – however realistically – isn’t going to copy your actual body type, tattoos, moles, scars, etc. But chances are most of your friends don’t know all of your moles and lumpy portions either.

Yeah, all that he had to do was to publish a picture of himself with his shirt off to show the faked video was a fake.
She probably knew that.