Blackmail and Extortion InvestigatorsCalm first steps, then answers
Blackmail and extortion work on panic: pay now, or else. Before you reply, pay or delete anything, talk to us. We help you through the first hour calmly, then work quietly to find out who is behind the threats and what they really have.
- Sextortion
- Threats from an ex
- Pressure on a business
years of quiet casework
first steps that help most
person who knows your case
Blackmail and extortion: what to do in the first hour
Five steps that help in almost every blackmail and extortion case. The Cyber Helpline's free guide covers what to do about sextortion in more detail. If the person being targeted is under 18, report it to the police and to Childline on 116.
- Do not pay. Paying rarely ends it. Most people who pay are asked for more.
- Stop replying. Do not argue, plead or negotiate. Silence takes away their leverage.
- Keep everything. Screenshot the messages, the profile and the payment details before anything disappears.
- Tighten your accounts. Make your friends lists and profiles private, and change your passwords.
- Talk to us. Call or WhatsApp. You do not have to handle this alone.
How blackmail and extortion usually work
Blackmail is a threat to share something unless you do what someone wants. Extortion is getting money or favours through threats. Online, the two usually arrive together: a message out of nowhere, a deadline, and a demand.
The most common blackmail and extortion case we see is sextortion. A friendly stranger moves a chat to video, records it, and then demands money. Others involve an ex who will not let go, someone threatening to tell a partner or an employer, or a business owner being pressured to pay to keep trading.
Whatever it looks like, blackmail and extortion depend on you feeling alone and rushed. With blackmail and extortion, our job is to slow it down, find out who is behind it, and help you take back control. T's and C's apply.
Blackmail and extortion cases we help with
These are the situations our blackmail investigators see most. If yours is different, call anyway.
Sextortion after a video call
A video chat with someone you met online, then a recording and a demand for money. Very common, and there is a lot that can be done.
An ex making threats
Old messages or photos held over you to force contact, money or silence.
Threats to tell a partner or family
Someone claiming they will expose an affair, a debt or a secret unless you pay.
Threats at work
A colleague, client or former employee threatening your job or reputation.
Pressure on a business
Demands to pay for the right to keep trading, or threats against staff or premises. If anyone threatens violence, call the police on 10111 first.
Fake accounts in your name
Profiles that copy your photos to shame you, or to message your friends and family.
Who do you think is behind it?
Choose the closest answer. It shows where our team would usually start.
Usually a sextortion ring
These groups send the same script to many people. Stop replying, keep screenshots of the whole chat, and call us.
Find out what they really have
Threats from someone close often rest on less than they claim. We help you see the real picture before you decide anything.
Put a stop to the pressure
We work out what they are likely to hold and what your options are.
Keep it quiet and contained
We work around your hours and keep your name out of it while we find out who is behind it.
Start with who it is
An unknown number or a fake profile is where most of our blackmail and extortion work begins.
Sextortion and extortion investigators in Johannesburg, Pretoria and beyond
Sextortion has become the most common form of online blackmail in South Africa. The scripts are almost identical: a friendly profile, a quick move to video, a recording, then a countdown. Because the same groups target many people, an extortion investigator can often link the accounts and numbers behind one case to others.
What we do is practical. We help you lock down your accounts, report the content and profiles, watch for new accounts, and work on who is behind it. Most people are surprised how quickly the pressure drops once they stop replying.
- Your case stays with you and the one person handling it
- No judgement: these schemes are designed to catch careful people
- We contact you only on the number and at the times you choose
- Help with the platform reports that get content taken down
- More than 10 years of quiet casework across South Africa
- Who: a ring using 3 accounts and 1 number
- What they have: one recorded call, not shared
- Reports made: 2 accounts removed by the platform
- Payments: none made, none needed
- Next step: stay silent, we watch for new accounts
Sample plan. Yours is drawn up for your situation.
How we handle blackmail and extortion
Blackmail and extortion cases move through four stages, at your pace, with one contact.
The first call
We help you stop the bleeding: what to keep, what to change, what not to send.
Scope and price
What will be looked into, and the price, agreed with you up front.
Who is behind it
Our team works on the accounts, numbers and people involved, quietly.
Your options
A clear account of what we found, and the next steps, in order.
Blackmail and extortion help across South Africa
Wherever you are, the first call is the same: calm, confidential and practical.
Johannesburg and Pretoria
Most blackmail and extortion cases we handle start in Gauteng. Extortion investigators in Johannesburg and Pretoria work these cases every week.
private investigators JohannesburgDurban and KZN
Cases across Durban and KZN, handled quietly around your work and family.
private investigators DurbanCape Town
Cape Town and the Western Cape, including the many sextortion cases that start on dating apps.
private investigators Cape TownPolokwane
Polokwane and Limpopo, where threats often come from someone the victim already knows.
private investigator PolokwaneMbombela
Mbombela and nearby towns, with an investigator who can meet you discreetly if you prefer.
private investigators NelspruitBlackmail and extortion cases often connect to other work. These pages may help:
Questions about blackmail and extortion
Should I pay the person blackmailing me?
No. Paying rarely ends blackmail and extortion; it tells the person you will pay again. Stop replying, keep everything and call us.
Should I delete the messages?
No. Screenshot them first, including the profile, the number and any payment details. Then you can mute or block if you want to.
Can you find out who is behind it?
Often, yes. Many schemes use the same accounts, numbers and payment routes again and again. Nobody can promise it in every case. T's and C's apply.
What is sextortion, and is it common?
Sextortion is blackmail using intimate images or video, often recorded during a call with someone you met online. It is very common, and it happens to careful, sensible people every day.
Can the content be taken down?
Platforms often remove this kind of content when it is reported properly. We help you make those reports, and the free guide from The Cyber Helpline explains each step.
Should I go to the police?
You can report it at any time, and many people do. Talking to us first does not stop you; it often helps you go in with everything in order.
Will anyone find out that I asked for help?
Your case is kept to you and the person working on it, and contact happens on your terms.
How much does it cost?
That depends on how much needs looking into; the price is settled with you first. See our private investigator cost guide for how work is priced.
Talk to someone calm, right now
Reach us by phone, WhatsApp or the private form. Say what is happening, and the next step will be a calm one.
T's and C's apply.