Jason

Hey there, this sounds like a classic sextortion scam, and it's important to know you're not alone. These can be incredibly stressful situations, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and avoid further harm.

First things first, don't panic. Jason's threats are likely empty. While it's possible he might have some compromising photos or videos, it's highly unlikely he has access to all your passwords or a recording of your entire screen. Sextortion scammers often bluff to scare victims into paying.

Here's what you should do right now:

• Stop communicating with Jason immediately. Block him on all platforms and don't respond to any further messages. Engaging with him just encourages him to keep harassing you.
• Do not send any money. Paying only confirms his scam works and increases the chances of him demanding more money in the future.
• Gather evidence. Take screenshots of all your conversations with Jason, including any threats or demands. Save any emails or messages he sent you. This evidence will be crucial if you need to report the scam.
• Change your passwords. Update the passwords for all your online accounts, especially your email and social media accounts. Use strong, unique passwords for each account. You can use a password manager to help you create and store strong passwords.

In most sextortion cases, the scammer doesn't actually have the incriminating videos they claim. However, in your situation, Jason mentioned creating a "double-screen video." This suggests he might have combined a compromising video of you with another video (possibly stolen footage) to create a fake recording.

Here's a unique tip to counter this tactic:

• Take control of the narrative. If you have any close friends you trust implicitly, consider confiding in them about the situation. Explain the scam and the "double-screen video" threat. With their help, proactively reach out to the people on your contact list (who Jason might threaten to share the video with) and explain the situation.

By preemptively informing your contacts, you take away Jason's leverage. They'll be aware it's likely a scam and won't be fooled by any threats.

Additionally, consider reporting the scam to the following resources:

• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): They have a specifically dedicated reporting system for sextortion: https://report.cybertip.org/
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report the scam at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ to help them track these criminals.

General Tips to Avoid Sextortion Scams in the Future:

• Be cautious about who you share intimate content with online. Only share this type of content with people you know and trust completely.
• Be wary of online relationships that move too quickly. Scammers often try to build trust quickly to pressure victims into sending compromising photos.
• Use strong privacy settings on your social media accounts. Limit who can see your photos and videos.
• Consider using a service like Scamcheckup or its AI tool CredCheck. Scamcheckup allows you to search for a person's name, email address, phone number, and other details to see if they've been reported for scams before. CredCheck goes a step further by analyzing texts, emails, and images for signs of scams and phishing attempts. While these tools can't guarantee you'll never encounter a scam, they can be a valuable line of defense.

Remember, you're not to blame for this scam. By following these tips, you can protect yourself and move forward with confidence.