Someone is threatening to publish your photos, videos, messages or secrets unless you pay them or do what they say. This happens to many people, and it isn’t your fault. You can get out of it, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Do this now
- Don’t pay, and don’t send anything more. Paying almost never ends it. They usually come back for more.
- Keep the evidence. Take screenshots of the messages, the account’s username and its profile, and copy the link to it. Do this before you block, because you won’t see them after.
- Block and report the account on Ayyam. Choose harassment as the reason.
- Tell us through Contact us if your photos or videos were posted on Ayyam, or if the person keeps making new accounts. We’ll take the photos down and ban the accounts.
- Tell someone you trust, a parent, a friend or a relative. You don’t have to deal with this alone.
- Report it to the police. Blackmail is a crime. Bring the screenshots with you.
Where to get help in Egypt
- Police: 122
- National Council for Women complaints office: 15115, for women and girls facing blackmail or violence, online or off
- Child Helpline: 16000, if you’re under 18, or for a child in danger
If your private photos are already out
Report every post and every account that shares them, and tell us through Contact us. Sharing someone’s private photos breaks our rules on private information, and blackmail gets the account banned at once.