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🛑 Scam Safety Guide

Deepfake Extortion — "We Put Your Face in a Video"

Published October 2026 · Last verified October 2026

Why the Threat Is HollowThe criminal's only real weapon is your fear.A fake, AI-made imageOr no image at all (abluff)An old password from abreachPanic and shame aspressureAn empty threatRefuse the fear - and the threat loses all its power.Illustration - a schematic; details vary by device and setup.
What deepfake extortion is really made of - and why it's beatable.
What to Do, CalmlyThree rules, then steady action.1A threat demands money over an image2Don't pay - it only brings more demands3Don't engage, don't panic4Save the evidence before blocking5Report to the FBI (ic3.gov) and the platform6Tell someone you trust - you're not aloneIt is not your fault, and help is available with no judgment.Illustration - a schematic; details vary by device and setup.
The calm, proven steps that defeat an extortion threat.

A threatening message claims to have a compromising photo or video of you — often fake or AI-made — and demands money to keep it private. It is a cruel scam that preys on fear and shame. This is a calm, steady guide to why it has no real power over you, and exactly what to do.

Bill Davis
Bill's Home Tech · Atwater, Ohio
Want the full deep-dive?
The Deepfake Extortion Guide
PDF · plain English · no ads · made by Bill
The scam
A fake 'fraud department' call
The tell
They ask you to move money or read a code
The fix
Hang up · call the number on your card
Bill's hotline
(330) 200-8042

A threatening message claims to have a compromising photo or video of you — often fake or AI-made — and demands money to keep it private. It is a cruel scam that preys on fear and shame. This is a calm, steady guide to why it has no real power over you, and exactly what to do.

What's inside this guide

The printable PDF walks through 21 short chapters, in plain language. It also includes an everyday cheat sheet and at-a-glance pictures.

  1. A Steady Word First
  2. What Deepfake Extortion Is
  3. The Golden Rule — Don't Pay
  4. Don't Engage, Don't Panic
  5. Why the Fake Has No Real Power
  6. Where the Images Come From
  7. It Is Not Your Fault
  8. What to Do, Step by Step
  9. Reporting and Getting Help
  10. The Romance-Scam Doorway
  11. Protecting Your Photos in Advance
  12. If It's Targeting a Young Person
  13. The Bluff-to-a-List Version
  14. The Emotional Toll Is Real
  15. Helping Someone Being Targeted
  16. Questions People Ask Me
  17. A Note on Prevention
  18. You Will Get Through This
  19. Reporting It — and Why It Helps
  20. When to Just Call Me
  21. Contact Card & a Warm Close

Get the printable guide

Everything above is a quick summary. The full, printable guide — the same words, laid out to read and keep by the computer — is a free PDF.

Download the printable PDF →

Last verified October 2026. Information accurate as of October 25, 2026.

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✍️ Every guide researched, written, and reviewed by Bill — your local Portage County tech.

Any prices or outside products mentioned in this guide can change over time — the details here were last checked October 2026 and this page is accurate as of October 25, 2026; please confirm current details before you act. See how often we review our guides →