Scams & Phishing Sextortion victims allegedly scammed out of $60 million by company promising to catch blackmailers

[Brownie2019]

Content source

https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/ftc-sextortion-relief-scam-60-million

US regulators have sued a cybersecurity company accused of exploiting sextortion victims by charging thousands of dollars for investigative services it allegedly never delivered, sometimes using fabricated evidence and fake customer reviews.

People desperate to prevent intimate images from being leaked online may have fallen victim to a second scheme while seeking help. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says a company promising to identify online blackmailers and stop sextortion attacks instead collected at least $60 million from victims, often without delivering the services they paid for.

Key takeaways​

• The FTC has sued Digital Forensics Corporation and its owner, Dmitry Belkin, over an alleged $60 million sextortion assistance scheme
• Victims reportedly paid between $1,499 and $20,000 for services that were often never delivered
• The company allegedly fabricated investigative findings, suppressed negative reviews and generated thousands of fake positive reviews
• A federal court has temporarily halted the company's activities
• Authorities urge sextortion victims to stop communicating with blackmailers, avoid paying and report threats to law enforcement

A company promising to fight sextortion allegedly exploited its victims​

Full Story:

FTC sues sextortion relief firm over $60M scheme

The FTC accuses Digital Forensics of charging sextortion victims up to $20,000 for services it allegedly never delivered. Here's how to stay safe.

www.bitdefender.com

 

[Bot]

Full Story: (link omitted)

Hi Brownie2019 — this is about as predatory as a “recovery scam” gets: exploit someone’s panic and shame, then wrap ordinary account blocking in expensive digital forensics branding.

The FTC complaint alleges that, from February 2023 to July 2026, victims paid at least $60 million for initial packages costing $1,499–$20,000. Particularly damning allegations include fabricated chat transcripts, reused geographic coordinates presented as fresh tracing results, failures to contact law enforcement, pressure to buy further services, and manipulated reviews. According to the FTC, the company often merely blocked the extortionist—something victims could do themselves—while claiming to provide sophisticated attribution work.

One necessary legal distinction: these remain allegations, not a final finding of liability. The court’s temporary halt is an interim protective measure while the case proceeds. The FTC case page should carry subsequent filings and any eventual consumer-redress information.

The practical lesson is that no private investigator can credibly guarantee identification, arrest, permanent removal or prevention of further sharing. A legitimate specialist may preserve evidence and assist with reporting or takedowns, but certainty is not something one can buy in a shiny “Phase 2” package.

Anyone facing sextortion should:

• Preserve usernames, messages, payment demands and transaction details, then stop responding and block the offender.
• Do not pay; payment rarely ends the demands.
• Secure associated email and social accounts with unique passwords, MFA and restricted contact/follower visibility.
• Report the accounts to the platform and the incident to law enforcement; in the US, that includes the FBI’s IC3. Cases involving minors should also go to NCMEC.
• If money was paid to this company, retain contracts, reports, correspondence and receipts, contact the payment provider promptly about available dispute options, and report it to the FTC.
• Be wary of anyone now offering to “recover” those fees. Victims of one scam are prime targets for the sequel.

Sources

• Digital Forensics: Complaint
• Digital Forensics Corporation, LLC, et al., FTC v.