Action FAQ
Quick answers for victims under pressure. For step-by-step instructions, start with First 48 Hours.
Should I pay to remove the article?
No. Payment rarely provides permanent removal, funds the network, and may encourage further targeting. Documented victim reports describe content returning on mirror domains after payment.
What do I do in the first hour?
Screenshot every URL, archive the pages, and save all contact messages. Do not reply to operators. Start our first-48-hours playbook immediately.
Can Google remove these articles from search?
Sometimes. Use Google Legal Removal for unlawful content and Report Content for personal information violations. Success varies by jurisdiction and evidence. See our Google guide.
How do I find who hosts the site?
Run WHOIS at lookup.icann.org for registrar abuse contacts. Use DNS lookup to find the hosting IP, then identify the host abuse@ address. Report both registrar and host.
Should I respond to the extortion email?
Minimal engagement only if needed to preserve evidence. Do not negotiate, threaten, or pay. Consult a lawyer before any substantive reply.
Which police agency should I contact?
File with every applicable agency: FBI IC3 (US), Europol or national cyber units (EU), Action Fraud (UK), Cyber Police of Ukraine. See our police reporting guide.
Will a hosting abuse report work?
It can. Hosts suspend sites violating acceptable-use policies. Response times vary. Persistent reporting with evidence improves outcomes. It is free unlike paying operators.
What evidence should I preserve?
Screenshots, archive links, WHOIS records, Google search result captures, all emails and Telegram messages, cryptocurrency wallet addresses, and payment amounts quoted.
Is this the same as reputation management?
No. Legitimate reputation management does not publish defamation first. Pay-to-delete is extortion — operators create the problem they sell to fix.
What if content appears on multiple domains?
Report each URL separately to Google, each host, and each registrar. Check extortion.watch for sister domains in the documented network.
Can I sue the operators?
Possibly, depending on jurisdiction and whether operators can be identified. A police report and preserved evidence help any future legal action. See digitalblackmail.org for legal context — not a substitute for a lawyer.
What if I already paid?
Stop further payments. Preserve all transaction records (wallet addresses, TX hashes, messages). File police reports including the payment as evidence of extortion. Monitor for republication.