How to know the identity of a person who blackmails or threatens you on social networks? step by step guide

The extortion it’s a crime which is based on compelling a person to perform an action, through the use of violence or intimidation and is considered one of the oldest types of blackmail in the world. However, with the rise of new technologies, more forms of extortion have originated globally.

Since the great proliferation of communication methods, They allow you to contact people from anywhere in the world and, therefore, they are exploited by cybercriminals who seek to fulfill their tasks. Considering that, in Spain, each year more than 6,000 people are affected by these practices through social networks.

Consequently, in order not to fall victim to this type of threat on these platforms, it is valuable for users to know how can they know the identity of a person who blackmails them on social networks to unmask her. Furthermore, it is also interesting discern some recommendations to avoid falling into these traps and, additionally, we will indicate that stipulates the law on blackmail in different Spanish-speaking countries.

Learn step by step how to know the identity of a person who blackmails you on social networks

The first step to prevent the execution of blackmail or extortion through social networks against you, is to accept that you are involved in that situation. Since, in this way, you will be able to take action on the matter and, in some way, stalking the malicious person who is carrying it out. Once you determine that you are being a victim of this practiceit is recommended that you do everything possible to unmask the cybercriminal who is carrying out the extortion in question.

For which, it is crucial to know their identity and for this reason, below, we will show you some basic steps that will allow you to obtain this information without complications:

Research your profile

One of the most important aspects to be able to know the identity of a person in the environment of social networks, lies in your profile. Since, through him, you will be able to know who it is and how it operates on a certain platform.

Nevertheless, It’s not enough to just look at his profile, because at this time anyone can register using their real name or even that of another individual. Therefore, it is recommended go beyond the information provided by a front page profile and investigate ithard way.

During this investigation process, we advise you to find out and/or verify the following data:

• When I know created the profile.
• on what date the user’s birthday.
• What kind of information do you share?habitually.
• Which users does it relate to? and how many of them may be the closest.
• Shows in your photographs.
• What have been your activities? most recent.
• What is your phone numberin case it is available from your profile.

In addition, to obtain the opinion of other users about this person, you can also choose Enter your name in the search engine of the social network where you have carried out the blackmail. In this way, you will check whether other people have also been victims of this type of threat or not.

Try to get your email

Although in some social profiles it is very easy to obtain the address of email of users, the truth is that in others it is not such an easy task. Since many people they prefer to hide this data to enjoy greater privacy, especially if it is an individual who is attacking other people through these channels. However, it is also not impossible to find the attacker’s email.

For example, You can use Google to know this datajust by entering the name of that person in the bar of search next to the word “gmail”, “hotmail” or “outlook” which are the most used email clients. Thus, it is likely that, among the results, they will show you the full email linked to a social network account (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc).

Another alternative is based on make use of LinkedIn tricks to get a certain email. Of course, this tactic will work if the attacker has registered with said professional social network before. To verify the data in question, you can search for the person through LinkedIn Y if you have an active profile, you will have relevant information such as: your email, your mobile phone and/or your website.

Investigate the account in which they ask you for payment

To know the identity of a cyber criminal, on many occasions, it is not enough to investigate your profile or know what email address you use to operate on the network. Because many of these individuals use data false to attack their potential victims and not be discovered so easily. For this reason, it is also interesting investigate, as much as you can, about the bank account to which they are asking you to make the corresponding payment.

Whereas, in most cases, this class of criminals provide an account for the victim to proceed to carry out the transaction as quickly as possible, while feeling attacked and fearful. From this important piece of information, you will surely be able to unmask the person behind this because, almost always, cybercriminals choose to provide their own bank account in order to enjoy the money they obtain fraudulently, without complications.

Now, to investigate said account, you can resort to the following techniques:

Pay attention to its structure to know the entity to which it belongs

First of all, you can check to which bank the account that the attacker has provided corresponds.

To do this, below, we indicate the meaning of the codes that these accounts normally have:

• Bank code: Corresponds to first 4 digits and it is the standard pattern of national codes used by the bank in question. In other words, these numbers distinguish one bank from the others.
• branch code: Next, you can find the code of the office that is made up of 4 numbers also. Which means that, it allows to find out in which branch of the bank the holder made the procedures for the opening of his account.
• control code: It refers to a defined number that allows confirming the two previous codes and those that follow, in order to avoid any error during a transaction. This one only has 2 numbers.
• Account number: Finally, you will find all the digits that identify the bank account of a certain person. Which, were chosen exclusively for the headline.

Check if that account number exists and/or is correct

Today, with the technological developmentyou can get different online solutions that allow you check if a bank account exists or not and even if your combination of numbers it’s correct. With this information, you will be able to have a greater security to point out the blackmailer and impute a serious crime.

For example, one of those online tools, you can get it via this URL: http://www.aplicacionesinformaticas.com/programas/gratis/ctabanco.php Over there, they explain step by step what you have to do to acquire the information you want. Taking into account that, as it is, there are many more alternatives online.

Complain and find out who the account belongs to by court order

Although it is a technique that requires more procedures, without a doubt, it is considered the most reliable method to know the holder of a certain bank account. Of course, this measure will depend on the laws of your country and the flexibility that the entities manage around the bank details of an individual.

In general, to find out who owns a bank account, you need to make a complaint about the extortion that they are causing you and request a court order from the indicated judge, in order to know the ownership of the bank account of interest. Appreciating that, this will be admitted only if the case and its seriousness warrant it.

4 Tips to avoid being a victim of blackmail on social networks

Unfortunately, nowadays, more than 30% of social media users expose your personal information without any restriction and, because of this, they are potential victims of cyber criminals who are looking for any data to carry out their blackmail or extortion. Therefore, it is important to take certain measures so that these criminals do not achieve their tasks and you can avoid being a victim of them.

That is why, in order to provide you with the necessary tools to protect yourself from these criminals, here are 4 basic and substantial tips that you can put into practice right now:

Cut off contact with the blackmailer

It is essential that, in the first instance, choose to cut off contact with the blackmailer altogether. In other words, you should not respond to him for any reason and if you have already done so, it is best that stop doing it and take screenshots of the entire conversation you had with them (this, as a proof of fact).

In this sense, you can also block the scammer in question to prevent them from sending you further threats. Thus, in case he creates another account and decides to harass you again through another profile, do not pay attention to any unknown contact or answer the messages.

At this point, it is valuable that, also avoid canceling your social media accounts because, with this, you run the risk that the cybercriminal can usurp your identity, impersonate you and hijack your confidential information; which would make the situation worse. Rather, instead of doing that, protect your accounts modifying your passwords and the privacy parameters of your profile. In addition, it eliminates all those doubtful users from your database.

Keep calm

It is normal that you may feel fear if some malicious person contacts you through your social networks and extorts you. However, in these types of situations, it is best to do everything possible to keep calm and don’t fall into his trapno way, not even threatening him in return.

On the other hand, if you have a lawyer, the best thing is that you report to said professional everything that is happening to you plus, go to the police to file a complaint. In this way, the authorities will be in charge of implementing a pertinent solution to protect your confidentiality and avoid any kind of fraudsince there are numerous victims similar to you.

never pay anything

Just as it is essential to stay calm, even if you feel afraid, it is also important that do not give in to blackmail by paying the amount of money that the extortionist asks for. Since, constantly, will keep asking you for more money and you can also stalk other people in the same way.

Therefore, it would be best if ignore his threats, report him to the corresponding entities and avoid giving him the money he asks for. In this way, you will be able to prevent a great economic loss and avoid future blackmails of the same modus operandi through social networks.

Report it to the authorities

As we mentioned before, it is essential that you remain calm and leave everything in the hands of the authorities. To do this, denounce the person who is extorting you online so that he can be arrested and thus not cause harm to more people. being this, the best solution to increase your security and protect your personal information.

If you are in Spain, it is recommended to go to the Technological Investigation Brigade of the National Police and to Group of Telematic Crimes of the Civil Guard. Since these entities are responsible for the safety of Internet users in Spanish territory. Whereas, it is valuable that save all evidence you have (chats, screenshots, etc.)to present them to these institutions and thus, it will be easier for you to prove that you were the victim of extortion.

What does the law say about blackmail and how is it punished in the main Spanish-speaking countries?

In practically all the countries of the world, blackmail is a crime penalized by government entities, given that interferes with the confidentiality of a certain person and can affect it, in a cruel way. But surely you wonder What does the law stipulate on blackmail and how is this aggression punished?

Therefore, in this section of the post, we will indicate what said code says in some Spanish-speaking countries:

Spain

Basically, in Spain, the law on blackmail agrees on the following: If someone demands a reward or amount of money from another person under the threat of disseminate facts associated with your private life or family relationships that are not publicly known and affect your credit, interest or fameHe will be charged with extortion. for which, shall be punished with a sentence of two to four years in prison.

Whereas, if this situation is linked to the threat of denounce or relieve the commission of a crime to the public prosecutormay refrain from accusing for said crime whose release has been threatened, in order to simplify the punishment of the infraction. This, except that, is punishable by imprisonment for more than two years. which, fundamentally, It will depend on the judge to be able to lower the sanction by one or two degrees.

Mexico

In terms of extortion, the Mexican code also penalizes all those who break the law in this way. Therefore, it establishes the following: Anyone who, without any right, forces someone to give, do or tolerate something, acquiring a profit causing any individual a patrimonial damagewill be applied between two or eight years in prisondepending on the severity of the case.

In addition to that, criminals will also be punished with a fine that will have to be canceled from 40 to 170 days. In addition to this, the penalties may be increased a little more, if the constraint is executed by a public servant, a criminal association, a member of a police corporation or the Mexican Armed Forces. which, too They will be punished with removal from office and disqualification from one to five years..

Chili

In general terms, the criminal code in Chile also severely punishes the crime of extortion and their ordinances are similar to those obtained by criminals accused of theft. Therefore, the punishment consists of a higher sentence in its minimum degree.

Therefore, any person who seriously threatens another with causing an evil that constitutes a crime of blackmail against their morals, honor or property, will be punished as follows:

• If you make the threat requesting an amount of money or imposing any other illegitimate condition, in addition to achieving your purpose; guilty will be punished with a minor sentence in its medium to maximum degrees.
• If you carry out the blackmail under any conditions without obtaining your purpose, the criminal will be punished in its minimum to medium degrees.
• If the threat made was not conditional, generally the individual will be punished with minor imprisonment in its minimum degree.
• If the threats are carried out by desktop or through an emissary, are considered as aggravating circumstances for the sanction.

Colombia

According to the Supreme Court of Colombia, intimidation is understood as that announcement corresponding to an immediate, serious evil and likely to inspire fear, from words or threatening or threatening attitudes, using physical means or even weapons. In addition, for the crime of extortion, it stipulates that there must be a fact in which the victim made a patrimonial displacement for the benefit of the author, managed by the intimidation exercised.

Thus, under these circumstances, imposes article 243 of the Criminal Code, which indicates: Whoever, for profit, forces another individual to perform or omit a legal act to the detriment of his or her assets or that of a third party, with intimidation or violence, will be punished by the penalty. That way, You will be sentenced to prison from one to five years..

Venezuela

In Venezuelan territory, extortion or blackmail also it is considered a serious crime which, therefore, is cleverly penalized according to the law. In this case, the legal standard stipulates several elements of great importance, among which are highlighted: Whoever by any means is capable of generate deception, alarm, threat or violence against people or property and performs actions to cause damage to their assets or any third party, will be punished.

This, especially, if through said blackmail, requests or hopes to obtain money, documents, goods or any benefit. Therefore, automatically, he may be punished with a penalty between 10 to 15 years in prison. Taking into account that this code will also be imputed to all those who have not obtained their task by the victim or third parties. Well, the same they have also altered the rights of a person.

Argentina

In this country, any individual who, with intimidation or simulating public or false authority in order of the same, requests another person deliver, send, deposit or place at your disposal a certain amount of money, documents or anythingon a mandatory basis, will be punished with imprisonment or imprisonment five to 10 years. This, as long as legal effects are generated.

Likewise, this sentence will also be established for people who force another to sign or destroy obligation or credit documents, by any means or using violence. Even if you connect with a minor for the purpose of committing any crime against the sexual integrity of the same through electronic communicationswill be penalized with prison from 6 months to 4 years.

Other LATAM countries

In case you didn’t already know, the term “LATAM” refers to the rest of the Latin American countries. In this case, extortion or blackmail It is also a criminal offense, depending on the severity of the case; in most Latin American countries. Which, although they handle a different prison code for criminals, in general terms, they bond only between 5, 10 and 15 years.