Someone accused of blackmail may attempt to defend themselves in a variety of ways. The following are the most typical defenses stated in extortion or blackmail cases:
Insufficient Evidence
It is critical to keep all interactions with the ابتزاز so that they do not succeed on the basis of insufficient proof. Extortionists may also try to claim that evidence was obtained unlawfully, such as through an illegal seizure, questioning, or coercion.
Lack of Intent
سايبر Blackmail and extortion must both be deliberate, which means that the offender must consciously threaten and instil fear in return for anything of value.
Proof of Incapacity, Insanity, or Intoxication
This argument is comparable to a lack of intent defence, in which a defendant claims that they did not fully understand what they were doing due to a developmental or mental impairment, or drunkenness.
Statute of Limitations
Every country has a distinct statute of limitations for blackmail, which is a time restriction for filing a case or pressing charges.
Ownership Over the Property
If a defendant can show that they were just seeking for the return of property that was legally theirs to begin with, they will most likely be able to defeat an accusation of blackmail.
Absence of Threat, Force, or Fear
To defend against blackmail accusations, a defendant may argue that they never intimidated, forced, or sought to instil fear in the victim.
Steps to Protect Yourself From Blackmail
A pound of cure is worth an ounce of prevention! There are actions you may do to safeguard yourself if you are concerned about the rising problem of online blackmail and extortion.
Here are some preventative measures that anyone may do to protect oneself against blackmail:
Avoid Random Friend Requests
Be wary of friend requests and direct communications from strangers. Many strangers are catfishing or claiming to be someone they are not in order to gain something from you.
Maximize Security Settings
You may change the security settings on social networking platforms. On Facebook, for example, you may restrict access to your profile so that only friends of friends can see it, or you can make it even more tight. We recommend that all social media accounts be set to the maximum level of privacy and that strong passwords be used for each site.
Do Blackmailers Follow Through on Their Threats?
One of the most prevalent issues raised by victims of extortion is if blackmailers truly carry out their threats. It may be reassuring to know that many extortionists never carry out their threats since they lose leverage if they do. Some sophisticated offenders also understand that carrying out their threats may alert law authorities to their operations, thereby putting a stop to their illicit money-making plan. Threats should, however, always be taken seriously because some blackmailers actually follow through. This implies that if you are being blackmailed, you should seek expert counsel and inform the proper authorities rather than giving in to their demands.
One thing is certain: if you give in to their threats, blackmailers will never stop demanding money from you.
