Amman — Teenagers may find themselves facing extortion messages and threats sent to their phones by people behind accounts they met online. The message is clear: “Either you send the money, or the photos will reach those closest to you, your friends and family.”
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The fear extends beyond the possibility of having their photos published to include their family’s reaction and the consequences of the incident coming to light. Feelings of guilt and embarrassment may lead some teenagers to send private photos, believing they are in a romantic relationship, or to pay the extortionist in the hope of ending the crisis. However, one payment may be followed by another demand. Teenagers may find themselves taking money from their parents or other people, believing each payment will stop the threats, while in reality, it gives the extortionist another reason to continue applying pressure.
Fear of punishment or losing the family’s trust
Dr. Bayan Al-Qudah, a digital media specialist and media and information literacy trainer, says that although such stories may be difficult to accept emotionally and rationally, they occur frequently in the online world.
She explains that these situations often begin in ways that do not raise suspicion: an apparently friendly account, conversations that gradually develop, and then a request for private content, a photo or a video.
Once the other party obtains what they want, their approach changes. Threats to publish the material begin, accompanied by a short deadline and demands for money or other requests.
At this point, the fear is no longer limited to the photos or information held by the extortionist. It also concerns what victims expect to happen if their families and friends discover the situation.
Al-Qudah notes that these practices do not affect teenagers alone, as adults also fall victim to them. However, young age and limited experience, combined with fear of punishment or losing their families’ trust, may make some teenagers more hesitant to seek help.
“Instead of telling someone they trust, they try to handle the crisis on their own and believe that paying the money once will be enough to end it,” she says.
Why extortionists keep demanding more
Al-Qudah explains that payment does not guarantee that photos will be deleted or threats stopped. Instead, it encourages the extortionist to demand more after realizing that the victim is willing to comply under pressure.
The crisis can then widen: another payment, another attempt to conceal what happened, and possibly borrowing money or taking it from family members. Victims may even send more private content in the hope of buying time or satisfying the extortionist.
When people hear these stories, many ask: “Why did the victim feel unable to tell anyone what was happening or speak to someone they trusted?”
Al-Qudah explains that fear can push people into making decisions that do not reflect a calm assessment of the situation, particularly when they believe exposure is imminent and they have only minutes to prevent it.
“Under this pressure, paying may seem like a quick solution, even when previous experiences have shown that it does not end the extortion,” she says.
She warns that breaking this cycle requires clear, practical steps. Victims should not pay money or send additional photos in response to threats. They should stop communicating with the extortionist and avoid negotiating with them.
It is also important to preserve evidence, including screenshots of conversations, accounts and threats, as well as transfer records, if available. Victims should avoid deleting this material before documenting it. They should report the account through the relevant platform, review their privacy settings and contact the competent authorities to report the incident.
Al-Qudah stresses the importance of contacting the Cybercrime Unit refers to the Public Security Directorate.
Parents are their children’s first source of safety
Al-Qudah says the most difficult step for victims is not a technical one but a family-related one: telling a parent or another trusted adult.
Psychological and educational counsellor Raeda Al-Kilani says parents are their children’s first source of safety, regardless of their age, and should guide them when they need help.
She stresses that parents must seriously consider their primary role: providing protection and understanding, regardless of how serious the mistake may have been. The way a family responds when a child confesses can help reduce the consequences of the incident.
Shouting, reprimanding children or immediately asking questions such as “How could you believe this?” and “How could you do this to yourself?” without first considering how to resolve the crisis may deepen victims’ feelings of guilt and make them more determined to hide the problem, even as it escalates.
By contrast, Al-Kilani says, a calm response helps open the door to a solution. Parents can reassure their children that they are not alone and that they will address the threats together before discussing what happened or any mistakes that may have been made.
Even if a child has made an unsafe decision, that does not justify extortion or make the child responsible for the abuse they experience, she says. Responsibility for the threats and exploitation lies with the extortionist.
Al-Kilani notes that providing emotional support does not mean ignoring risks or avoiding decisive action. Instead, priorities should be established: protecting the victim first, documenting evidence and reporting the incident, then addressing any behaviours or decisions that may need to be reviewed.
In many cases, victims may also need professional psychological support, particularly if fear or guilt persists or signs of severe disruption to daily life emerge.
Fear of exposure can lead to further harmful behaviour
Al-Kilani adds that the trust that allows teenagers to admit what happened is not built only during a crisis. It develops through small, everyday interactions in which children can discuss their mistakes, questions and fears without ridicule or disproportionate punishment.
The more children feel that home is a safe space for dialogue, the easier it becomes for them to seek help when a more serious problem arises.
Al-Kilani and Al-Qudah agree that the danger does not end with the first message or the photos the extortionist threatens to publish. It may intensify when victims face their fear alone and begin making a series of decisions under pressure.
Silence may lead to paying money, concealing the incident and then becoming involved in further harmful behaviour out of fear that the earlier events will be exposed.
Sociologist Dr. Hussein Khazaei says conservative communities do not always recognize the dangers of responding harshly when their children become involved in serious incidents on social media.
He says some parents believe punishment, physical violence and reprimanding their children are solutions to such problems, sometimes resorting to even harsher measures.
Instead, parents must take the lead in breaking this cycle. People using social media face numerous risks, including extortion, bullying and manipulation of their thoughts and emotions. Families must provide protection when such a crisis occurs and allow themselves to become a trusted source of support for those affected.
Only then should other measures be considered to prevent similar incidents from recurring and ensure that such threats are not taken lightly, Khazaei says.
He stresses that penalties for extortionists are severe and that victims should take action by reporting these crimes. He also points to the Cybercrime Unit and the strict penalties provided for under Jordanian law.
Legal penalties for cyber extortion in Jordan
Cyber extortion and threats to publish photos in Jordan are subject to Cybercrime Law No. 17 of 2023.
Article 18 stipulates that anyone who extorts or threatens another person through an information system, information network, website or social media platform to compel them to perform an act, refrain from an act or obtain a benefit faces imprisonment for at least one year and a fine of no less than JD3,000 and no more than JD6,000.
Under Article 18(b), the penalty becomes more severe when the threat involves allegations that harm a person’s honour or reputation and includes an explicit or implicit demand to perform an act or refrain from one. In such cases, the punishment may reach temporary hard labour, with a fine of no less than JD5,000 and no more than JD10,000.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Dima Mahboub
