What to Do If You're Being Targeted
Immediate, practical, expert‑verified steps to reduce harm and shut down attacker leverage.
🚨 Immediate Steps
These steps help you cut the attacker's leverage instantly.
- Stop responding — every reply increases leverage.
- Screenshot threats & profiles without enlarging images.
- Block the attacker on all platforms.
- Report the profile or number to the platform.
- Contact your local police if you are a minor or feel unsafe.
🧩 Understanding the Network
BlackWire analyzes the infrastructure behind the messages you receive:
- Origin of the phone number or VOIP provider.
- Any linked domains or shortlinks used in threats.
- Associated crypto wallets or money-flow patterns.
- Connections to known organized fraud clusters.
Report & Escalate
Use these steps to document abuse, get help quickly, and push infrastructure providers to act. If you're in immediate danger, call local emergency services.
1) Document safely
Preserve evidence without re‑exposing yourself.
- Screenshot messages, profiles, and payment requests.
- Copy URLs for any links, shortlinks, or domains.
- Note dates/times and the platform used.
- If images are involved, do not download or share them.
2) Report on-platform
Reporting helps block accounts and preserves internal logs.
- Use "Report / Flag / Abuse" in the app/site where contact happened.
- Select the most relevant reason (harassment, sexual exploitation, extortion).
- Block the account after reporting.
3) Reach Canadian help
If you're under 18, contact Cybertip.ca (Canada's national tipline) or a trusted adult. You can also report to local police.
Adults can contact local police non‑emergency if threatened, and provincial victim services for support.
4) Use takedown help
Free services can help remove or prevent distribution:
- StopNCII.org — create a digital "hash" to block sharing across partner platforms.
- NCMEC Take It Down (if in/with U.S. platforms).
5) If you paid or feel stuck
It's common to freeze — you're not alone. Paying rarely ends threats. Reach out to a support service and stop contact.
Escalate to infrastructure providers
Sextortion campaigns rely on real service providers. BlackWire helps you identify them and send targeted notices.
Hosting / CDN (e.g., Cloudflare)
Report abusive domains and include BlackWire evidence: domain, IP, screenshots, timestamps, and any linked wallets.
Messaging platforms
Escalate via platform safety forms when standard reporting fails. Provide handles, threads, and links.
Payment rails
Report wallets to exchanges and payment processors; ask for fraud review and freezing where possible.
Want a ready‑to‑send notice? BlackWire can generate a concise escalation packet you can copy/paste to providers.