Dealing with Extortionists
[QUOTE=Lance547;6958085]Can't stress it enough to use a text app. A person I know was simply enquiring donation info using an online website that is common but he was using his real number. This person called me frantically and tells me he's being extorted by one of the ads he contacted.
Apparently they googled his number and all his contact info came up so they told him to pay a certain amount or else they would report his info to LE.[/QUOTE]Yes, it is important to have some level of OpSec in place while playing in this hobby. Girls will tell you how many dumb dudes, who are married or have SOs contact them from their IRL phone number. It costs ~$5 on line to convert IRL phone numbers into IRL name, job, family & friends.
But what most people don't understand is that extortion or blackmail is a felony. So they get upset and do all of the wrong things!.
When contacted by an extortionist:
1. Don't panic, the only way they win is through FEAR!
2. Collect evidence of the extortion. That means screen-shotting or saving in some way the emails, texts, etc that contain the extortion. Email a copy to your monger I'd email as a way to keep it 'in the cloud. ' Save everything!
3. Once you have evidence of the extortion, respond ONCE to the person stating that solicitation is a misdemeanor, but extortion is a felony. Tell them you have collected and saved their extortion requests and will be sending them to law enforcement.
This usually ends it. Scammers work on fear and if you show strength they back off.