How to Report Blackmail on Instagram

While most Instagram users would not expect to need to know how to report blackmailers or sextortionists on the Instagram application, the fact is that thousands of victims come forward each year, searching for answers on how to properly respond when threatened with blackmail. Knowing how to respond to such threats is crucial for victims.

While Instagram does not permit the use of its application for any criminal activity, scammers, blackmailers, and sextortionists flock to the platform due to its large number of active users. With over two billion monthly active users ⁽¹⁾, Instagram ranked fourth in 2024 for the world’s largest social networks, surpassed only by its parent company Facebook and its other properties. This is the primary reason why blackmailers use the app to target new victims.

When dealing with blackmail on Instagram, it is important to remember that blackmail is considered a crime in most countries. No victim of blackmail should ever allow a digital blackmailer to control their life through romance or fear tactics.

How Was A Blackmailer Able to Use Your Instagram Account to Scam You?

Before we review how Instagram instructs users to report blackmail scams to their system administrators, it’s important to understand how your Instagram account was used to gather the information your blackmailer is leveraging to extort you.

Cases of blackmail normally occur through the Instagram application when a cybercriminal creates a fake profile to lure unsuspecting victims. While the language they use and the tactics they deploy will vary, there are similarities which are seen in the three top scams on Instagram.  This list of these scams include:

• Sextortion: Sextortion scams account for 90% of the reported cases of cybercrime submitted to Digital Forensics Corp.* every year. In a sextortion scam, the blackmailer will pose as an attractive man, woman, or celebrity to lure the victim into a perceived romantic relationship.  While building this “relationship” with their target, the blackmailer will begin asking for more intimate images/nudes which they will later use to blackmail the victim.  Once received, the blackmailer will use these photos to threaten their victim by saying they will release the images to their friends, family, or work colleagues unless they are paid for their continued silence.
• Malware Scam: This type of digital blackmail involves the blackmailer sending links to different programs they will use to either hack the Instagram users account or use to pull personal information off their device which they will use to extort their victim.
• Academic Blackmail Scam: This is a unique scam where a blackmailer will post as an essay writer/test taker offering services to entice students. Once they have been able to properly pull information on the student, they will begin threatening to expose the student unless paid.

Looking for additional resources to avoid Instagram blackmail scams? Check out this free guide: How To Prevent Instagram Blackmail Scams

How To Report Blackmail on Instagram.

Paying a blackmailer does not guarantee that they will not release your information, and ignoring the situation is also not the best solution.  To create assurance that your reputation will remain safe while stopping your blackmailer’s threats, the best option is to report your blackmailer to the proper authorities.

While your first step should be to report the blackmailer to your local law enforcement, there are additional steps you may wish to take both on the Instagram App and with other organizations who are trained to handle cases of cybercrime.

The 7 Step Process To Report An Account for Blackmail On Instagram.

In order to report your blackmailer’s account to Instagram, you’ll want to complete the following seven steps.

Infographic showing how to report a blackmailer on Instagram in 2024

1. Collect screenshots of the messages the blackmailer has sent you; you do not need to include any images, information, or content that is being used to blackmail you.
2. Go to the profile information for the account that is sending the blackmail messages or that was used to gain the information you are being blackmailed with.
3. Tap the “…” in the top right corner of the profile.
4. Tap “Report” from the menu options that appear.
5. Select “Recent Messages They Sent You”
6. Fill in the additional information requested and submit your screenshots as evidence.
7. Finish by Submitting the Report.

Once you submit the information through the Instagram application, system administrators for the Snapchat application will review the information and decide what will happen with your blackmailer’s account.

Will Instagram Tell Your Blackmailer That You Reported Them?

No all reports of blackmail or other violations of Instagram’s Community Guidelines ⁽²⁾ are handled anonymously to protect the safety of their users.  While you may be fearful of repercussions for reporting your blackmailer, it is important to remember that it is unlikely that you are their only victim on the Instagram application making it unlikely that they can determine you were the one who reported them.

What Happens to An Account Accused of Blackmail or Other Cybercrimes on Instagram?

In cases of online blackmail, Instagram will normally provide ways for you to check the status of your report.  Depending on the information submitted, Instagram can choose to suspend your blackmailer’s account.  While this can help reduce the damage your blackmailer can do through the Instagram application, it does not ensure they will not still attempt to release the content they have on you through other channels or other fake Instagram accounts which is why it is import to take steps not just to report the blackmail but actively work to stop it.

Get Help Stopping Your Blackmailer with Digital Forensics Corp. 

Digital Forensics Corp. is committed to our mission of helping victims of blackmail regain their lives by deploying tactics that stop blackmailers and other cybercriminals.

We do this by interceding on our customer’s behalf to locate the blackmailer and identify their tools to remove their digital anonymity.  We are do this to leverage the information against your blackmailer and get them to delete the incriminating information they have collected.  This tactic helps ensure that our clients can leave this situation behind with less fear of the information becoming public.

If you or someone you love is currently a victim of any form of blackmail or cyber extortion, please contact Digital Forensics Corp. immediately.  We have teams of specialists standing by 24/7 who can help evaluate your case at (888) 202-0867 or click here to access our blackmail helpline.

If you’d like additional information on the steps you can take to stop blackmail on Instagram, we have a free resource titled: How To Stop Blackmail on Instagram

Sources:

• Meta Instagram Insights for AMUs – https://www.facebook.com/business/help/441651653251838?id=419087378825961
• *Digital Forensics Corp Statistics–*The information presented in this article is based on sources that are not readily available to the public and may be subject to restrictions or confidentiality. It is intended for informational purposes only.
• Instagram Community Guidelines – https://help.instagram.com/477434105621119?helpref=faq_content

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER. DIGITAL FORENSICS CORP. IS NOT A LAWFIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR SERVICES. By viewing posts, the reader understands there is no attorney-client relationship, the post should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney, and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.