FTC Alleges Company Took At Least $60 Million From Sextortion Victims

The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint on Tuesday against an Ohio-based company and its owner. Regulators say the group collected at least $60 million from customers seeking help with sextortion threats. A federal court has temporarily ordered the business to stop operations until a judge makes a decision.

The agency says the operation allegedly ran from February 2023 through July 2026, while the lawsuit cites telemarketing rule violations dating back to 2020. The complaint alleges the company, Digital Forensics Corporation, sold services under two stages. Victims paid between $1,499 and $20,000 for what was called Phase 1 help. In exchange for this money, the firm claimed it would stop the attack and locate the person making threats. Instead, the regulator says the company simply changed account settings to block messages and fabricated chat records to make it look like they were working on the case.

Another part of the deception involved fake location data. Reports state the firm reused pre-saved coordinates for countries like Nigeria and the Philippines to trick customers. This was done to convince victims that they had found the person behind the blackmail attempt. The FTC notes this is false because the company did not actually perform a tracking campaign.

After selling the first stage, staff allegedly pressured buyers into paying for Phase 2 services. This second package promised ongoing monitoring of accounts and the wider web. Many customers asked for refunds based on the company policy, but the firm often denied these requests. Some upset clients were told they would not get money back unless they removed negative reviews online.

The lawsuit details how employees used scripts to exploit specific fears during sales calls. People in the military were warned about dishonorable discharges, while married customers were told their spouses might be targeted. Some callers were also asked about custody battles or personal relationship problems to increase their anxiety. One script mentioned that victims could face accusations related to child predators even if the photos were altered.

To hide its reputation, the firm allegedly used fake positive reviews and directed complaints to a website it controlled. This site looked like a Better Business Bureau page but was created by the company itself. The complaint says they paid Uber drivers to post testimonials with staged photos. Real review sites still show numerous customer complaints about the fraud.

Dmitry Belkin, the owner, and his attorneys did not return requests for comment from reporters. A USA Today report in March 2025 made similar allegations about the company. The case will now be decided by a federal judge following the temporary order against the business.