The Scam After The Scam
The Federal Trade Commission says a federal court temporarily halted Digital Forensics Corporation LLC, its owner Dmitry Belkin and affiliated companies. The FTC alleges the company misled victims of sextortion into paying at least $60 million for assistance services that were often not delivered.
Sextortion is the real crime here: scammers threaten to publish intimate images unless victims pay. The FTC alleges Digital Forensics then marketed itself as the emergency response team, promising to identify the criminal, communicate with the extortionist, gather evidence and report the attack.
Phase One: Panic. Phase Two: More Money.
According to the complaint, the company sold “Phase 1” packages priced from $1,499 to $20,000. The FTC alleges that in numerous cases the promised work did not happen. After payment, the company allegedly pressured victims to buy “Phase 2” monitoring and follow-up services.
The FTC says the company sometimes blocked the sextortionist’s account—something victims could do themselves—created fake chat transcripts, supplied made-up investigative information and did not contact law enforcement as promised. That is a lot of paperwork to arrive at the same button a teenager can find on Instagram.
Five-Star Reviews, According To The Complaint
The FTC also alleges that Digital Forensics suppressed negative customer reviews and generated thousands of fake positive reviews. The complaint says employees and paid reviewers posted praise, while customers were allegedly pressured to provide positive feedback before receiving services.
The agency says telemarketers used tailored fear tactics, including warnings about military discipline or the possibility that a victim’s spouse and in-laws would be targeted. Those claims have not been proven in court, but they show why a crisis service aimed at frightened people needs more scrutiny than a normal internet subscription.
The Bottom Line
The FTC says consumers should not pay sextortionists and should report attacks to law enforcement. The agency’s case against Digital Forensics remains a case, not a final judgment. But the alleged business model is grimly efficient: scare someone, charge them thousands, promise a digital manhunt, and hand them a blocked account with a receipt.
Source
Federal Trade Commission: FTC sues operator of sextortion relief scheme