FTC Sues Companies Accused of Defrauding Sextortion Victims

Summary

The FTC alleges Dmitry Belkin and 12 businesses took at least $60 million from sextortion victims while fabricating evidence and failing to deliver promised services. The agency is seeking to bar them from operating.

Key points

• The FTC filed a federal lawsuit in Ohio against Belkin and 12 businesses, alleging deceptive practices and telemarketing violations dating to at least 2020.
• The companies advertised help for victims of online romance and sextortion scams through sites including BlackmailHelpline[.]com and DigitalForensics[.]com.
• The FTC alleges the businesses collected at least $60 million while failing to provide most promised protections and routinely denying refund requests.
• According to the complaint, employees communicated with scammers through customers’ accounts, then blocked them and fabricated chat transcripts and geolocation evidence.
• The businesses allegedly pressured customers to buy costly follow-up services that the FTC says were not performed.
• The FTC also alleges employees used fear-based sales scripts and the companies suppressed negative reviews with fake testimonials and other tactics.

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