It starts with a message you never saw coming. A stranger claims they’ve hacked your phone or recorded you on a webcam. They threaten to expose you—to your boss, your family, the world—unless you pay.
It’s called sextortion. And it’s a lie designed to paralyze you with fear.
😱 Why It Matters: This scam isn’t about money and shame. Scammers know fear is more powerful than facts—so they push hard and fast, hoping you’ll pay before you think. And far too many people do.
🧠 What To Know:
- Most of the time, there are no photos, no videos, no hack.
- Scammers use stolen emails, usernames, or weak passwords to fake credibility.
- The goal is emotional blackmail, not truth.
🛑 What To Do:
- Don’t reply. Any response gives them power.
- Don’t pay. It won’t make them stop.
- Do take a screenshot of the message.
- Do block the sender.
- Do report it to local authorities or online crime units.
💬 The Truth: You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re not alone. And you don’t have to deal with this in silence. Investigators see this tactic every day and they know how to help.
🔍 The Big Picture: This scam works because it preys on something deeply human: the fear of being seen in your worst light.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
