Romance Blackmail Scams via Wise
How international sextortion fraudsters use Wise to collect cross-border extortion payments while evading domestic banking scrutiny.
Part of: Romance Blackmail Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sextortion operations targeting English-speaking victims in Western countries increasingly demand payment via Wise because it offers cross-border transfers with less regulatory friction than traditional wire transfers. Fraudsters know that domestic bank transfers trigger more scrutiny and can be frozen faster, whereas Wise's global reach allows funds to be received in accounts held in jurisdictions far from the victim's.
The Wise brand carries unwarranted trust — victims who recognise it as a 'legitimate' service are less likely to pause before transferring, compared to being asked for an unknown offshore bank account.
How this scam works on Wise
After obtaining compromising material through a fake online relationship, the scammer contacts the victim with demands for payment 'to a secure account' via Wise. They provide a Wise account email or payment link and a tight deadline. Wise's own interface is used — not a fake — making the transfer look entirely normal.
If the victim does not have a Wise account, the scammer walks them through creating one, framing it as a 'private' way to settle. Subsequent demands often specify increasing amounts and may shift to crypto if the victim questions Wise limits.
Common red flags
- Extortion demand from an online contact who obtained intimate material through a fabricated relationship
- Specific instruction to use Wise rather than any other payment method
- Tight deadline — hours — before material will allegedly be distributed
- Instructions to create a new Wise account if you do not already have one
- Escalating demands after an initial payment
- Scammer claims to be able to target specific named contacts in your network
How to protect yourself
- Do not pay — payment signals responsiveness and escalates rather than ends the extortion
- Contact Wise's fraud team immediately and explain that you are an extortion victim — they can flag the recipient account
- Restrict your social media accounts to limit the scammer's ability to reach your contacts
- Preserve all evidence: Wise transaction references, screenshots, and all communication
- Seek support from a cybercrime counsellor or victim support service before making any financial decision
How to report it
- Contact Wise support at wise.com/help and report the recipient email address as an extortion account
- File a report with your national cybercrime authority (IC3 in the US, Action Fraud in the UK, ACSC in Australia)
- Report the original social-media profile used to initiate contact to the relevant platform
Frequently asked questions
Can Wise freeze funds that I have already sent to a blackmailer?
Wise can freeze accounts flagged as fraudulent, but this must happen before the recipient withdraws. Report as quickly as possible — ideally before making any transfer. Once funds are withdrawn to a local bank account, Wise has no ability to recover them. Speed is critical.