Romance Blackmail Scams in Venezuela
Sextortion schemes target Venezuelans on dating apps and social media, coaxing intimate images and then threatening exposure unless victims pay.
Part of: Romance Blackmail Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Romance blackmail, or sextortion, combines a fake online relationship with extortion. A scammer posing as an attractive stranger builds rapport, encourages intimate images or video, then threatens to share the material with the victim's family, friends, or employer unless paid.
In Venezuela these schemes spread through Facebook, Instagram, and dating apps, frequently targeting younger users. The shame and fear victims feel are exactly what scammers rely on, but paying rarely ends the demands.
How this scam works on Venezuela
The scammer creates an appealing profile using stolen photos and begins 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. The moment usable material exists, the tone turns to threats.
The scammer demands payment — by mobile wallet, transfer, crypto, or gift cards — within a tight deadline, often displaying a list of the victim's contacts as leverage. Paying tends to escalate demands. Some scammers use edited or AI-altered images to make threats appear more compromising.
Networks may divide roles between the persona, the collector, and the person issuing threats, complicating attribution.
Common red flags
- A new online contact who becomes 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 shift from affection to threats once images are shared
- Demands for fast payment via untraceable methods with a deadline
- Claims your contact list has been gathered and will be messaged
- Edited or AI-altered images used to increase pressure
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 social-media privacy so your contacts are not publicly visible
- Confide in someone you trust — you are not at fault
How to report it
- Report to the Venezuelan investigative police cybercrime division (CICPC) with screenshots
- 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
Should I pay to stop the images being shared in Venezuela?
Most experts advise against paying. Payment usually leads to further demands rather than ending them. Stop communicating, preserve evidence, report to police, and use services like Stop NCII to limit image spread.