Romance Blackmail Scams in Paraguay
Sextortion schemes in Paraguay use fake online romances to obtain intimate images, then threaten to expose victims unless they pay.
Part of: Romance Blackmail Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Romance blackmail, or sextortion, blends a fabricated online relationship with extortion. A scammer posing as an attractive stranger builds rapport, encourages intimate images or video, and then threatens to share the material with the victim's family, friends, or workplace unless paid.
In Paraguay these schemes spread through Facebook, Instagram, and dating apps, frequently targeting younger users. The shame and urgency victims feel are precisely what scammers exploit, yet paying almost never ends the demands.
How this scam works on Paraguay
The scammer sets up an attractive profile with stolen photos and opens an affectionate conversation. Within days they move the chat to a private platform and request intimate images or a video call, sometimes secretly recording the victim. Once usable material exists, the tone turns to threats.
The scammer demands payment — by mobile wallet, transfer, gift cards, or crypto — within a tight deadline and may show a list of the victim's contacts as leverage. Paying tends to trigger further demands rather than ending them. Some scammers use edited or AI-altered images to intensify pressure.
Operations may divide roles between the persona, the collector, and the person making threats, complicating attribution.
Common red flags
- A new online contact who turns intensely affectionate and rushes intimacy
- Pressure to move quickly to a private or video platform
- Any early request for intimate images or live video
- A sudden switch from affection to threats after images are shared
- Demands for fast payment by untraceable methods with a deadline
- Claims that your contact list has been gathered and will be messaged
- Edited or AI-altered images used to heighten the threat
How to protect yourself
- Never share intimate images with someone you have not met and verified in person
- Reverse-image-search profile photos at the first sign of pressure
- Do not pay — payment usually leads to more demands
- Screenshot threats and preserve them as evidence before blocking
- Tighten privacy settings so your contacts are not publicly visible
- Confide in someone you trust — you are not at fault
How to report it
- Report to the Paraguayan police cybercrime unit with screenshots and payment details
- Report the profile and content to the platform where contact was made
- Contact the Stop NCII service to have intimate images hashed and blocked on participating platforms
Frequently asked questions
Will paying stop the blackmailer in Paraguay?
Rarely. Paying typically signals you will respond to pressure and leads to further demands. Stop communicating, preserve evidence, report to police, and use services like Stop NCII to limit image spread.