One of the most popular communication applications on the internet is called Discord, which lets people talk to one another through text chats, voice and even video calls. It is especially popular in the gaming world where users can join virtual communities called servers, which come with chat rooms and voice channels. In the chat rooms they can send private messages, videos, photos, or anything they like.
Another great feature is that members can make video calls and screen stream while they are playing games. It is truly a worldwide community that reaches all areas and different types of people throughout the globe. And there are lots of the biggest brand names which are considered celebrities, in virtual gaming with millions of followers.
Discord has become a popular platform for communication and online communities, but it also has a dark side that includes a rising trend of sextortion scams.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing prevalence of online scams on the discord platform, and it is critical for users to understand the risks of using this world-wide communication technology. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into all aspects of the platform and how sextortion on Discord is a real problem, explore its impact on users, and provide practical tips to help you stay safe. We’ll also outline the steps you can take if you are targeted with online blackmail.
What is Discord Sextortion?
With a large platform like Discord there are thousands of opportunities for perpetrators to find unsuspecting individuals and attack them with sextortion tactics. This is easy for the scammers to take advantage of the platforms technology by often hacking into private servers, infiltrating direct messaging, and then creating fake personas or catfishing, to lure victims into compromising situations.
These criminals do not use any discretion when it comes to all the types of scams they will sink to like coercion, blackmail, or threats to share sensitive content, and they will target both minors and adults. Discord is attractive to criminals because there are millions of users and many of them are young minors who may be more susceptible to how these predators coerce and manipulate victims.
How Discord Enables Sextortion
Even with an established communication platform like Discord and all the modern-day security features they use, scammers still find ways to exploit with these common methods:
- They use anonymous accounts hiding their real identity
- There is a major lack of moderation in some communities
It is harder to verify whether or not a profile is a fraudulent or catfish account
Identify the Signs of Discord Sextortion
Here are some red flags to follow and watch to avoid sextortion on Discord. They include:
- Beware of rushed intimacy from strangers. If someone new starts talking to you, and they quickly jump to a sexual conversation, this is a red flag.
- If someone is asking prying questions or for links to your other social platforms.
- If the person is pushing you to take the conversation to another application like WhatsApp or Telegram.
- If they send you intimate content seemingly out of nowhere.
Top 5 Ways to Protect Yourselves from Discord Sextortion
Like most social media platforms, it is up to the user to take steps to avoid internet scams like Discord sextortion. Here are our top five suggestions for avoiding cyber harassment:
- Verify profiles: Make it a personal policy to always ask new connections to verify their identities through video calls or other external verification tools.
- Keep conversations public: Try to always avoid private chats with strangers, especially when discussing sensitive topics. It is important not to put yourself in a position that leaves you vulnerable to sextortion scams on discord.
- Limit sharing personal information: Play your cards close to the chest when interacting with strangers online. Avoid broadcasting any personal information including: phone numbers, your location, or explicit content.
- Report suspicious accounts: If anyone seems suspicious to you, or they send you inappropriate content, immediately report them to the Discord administration personnel. The Discord team will review and possibly block the account, potentially saving you and others from their scams.
- Use privacy settings: There are ways for you to control your settings for more privacy by disabling DMs from strangers and using two-factor authentication for added protection.
What To Do If You Fall Victim to Discord Sextortion
If this happens to you, it is important to act accordingly right away. This is the time to stay calm and think logically so you can quickly get out of the trap that is cyber extortion. Here are the steps to take:
- Report it immediately: You will need to report the scammer’s activity and incident to Discord staff who moderate the activity on the platform. No matter what platform you are using, contact the administrators, while they can’t undo your sharing of intimate content with the scammer, they can remove them from the platform. .
- Preserve evidence: It is important during this critical time not to delete anything, as it will be used for evidence against the criminal who contacted you. Immediately take screen shots, save the chat logs, and document interactions that you had with the scammer.
- Seek professional help: If you are a victim of sextortion on Discord, then the first thing you should do is get in contact with the professionals who are trained to handle your case. Start by contacting local law enforcement and filing a report of what has happened. After this you can seek additional assistance in protecting your reputation.
- Do not pay: Whatever you do, do not pay the perpetrators no matter how many times they threaten you. This will not solve the problem but will most likely escalate it. By not delaying payment, you are giving yourself time to work with law enforcement and private cybersecurity teams to get the real resolution of the problem…stopping the blackmailer.
Why Discord’s Security Measures Are Not Enough
Discord is a major platform with millions of users. While there team offers various built-in security features including automated moderation and reporting of hate speech patterns, these measures are not nearly enough to combat cybercrimes like sextortion.
While Discord and other large companies need to take stronger steps to combat these crimes, like user verification and prevention of intimate content sharing, no system is entirely foolproof. Even with dedicated cybersecurity teams, social media giants remain vulnerable to these breaches and attacks.
Do You Need Help?
If you are or anyone you know has been a victim of sextortion on Discord, we are here to help. Digital Forensics Corp specializes in all forms of cyber harassment, and they will put their team of experts on your case to make sure we do everything we can to get your life back to normal. Call us today at our Sextortion Helpline on 1-800-849-6515. Our experts are available 24/7 and your calls are strictly confidential.
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.
