Online Blackmail in Jordan: What to Do and How to Preserve the Evidence

If someone threatens to publish your photos, chats or private information unless you pay money or meet some other demand, start by safely preserving whatever evidence you can, securing your accounts and seeking help from the competent authorities. Do not assume that paying will stop the threats, and do not let fear push you into deleting the only conversation that documents what happened.

The threat may come from an account whose owner you know or from an anonymous one, and it may involve a real image or fabricated content. In every case, knowing the sequence of events, the nature of the demand and the means used helps in assessing the complaint and choosing the appropriate legal response.

What counts as online threats and blackmail

Cybercrime Law No. 17 of 2023 deals with threats and blackmail carried out by electronic means, and Article 18 contains provisions on both. The demand does not always have to be financial; the aim may be to make a person do something or refrain from doing it. The legal characterisation is determined after the facts and the full set of messages have been reviewed.

Illustrative examples include threatening to send a private conversation to someone's family unless they transfer money, or using images to pressure someone into continuing a relationship. Such facts are assessed differently from an ordinary disagreement or a claim to a right, so a phrase should not be taken out of context and used on its own to conclude what the offence or the penalty is.

How to preserve the messages and evidence

Keep the original conversation and the account that received it, and record the username, the account link, phone numbers, message dates and any transfer details sent to you. You can take screenshots that show the context, the account identity and the timing, while keeping the original files unaltered as far as possible. Write down the sequence of events before the details become blurred.

A screenshot alone does not guarantee proof of every element of the incident. The source of a message, its attribution and its integrity may need examination and procedures by specialists. Avoid cropping or rearranging evidence, and do not re-share the images or chats to prove to others what happened; present them in the manner the competent authority specifies or that you agree with your lawyer.

Dealing with your account and the threat

Do not send further images, passwords or verification codes, and do not open links sent by the person making the threat on the pretext of deleting content or recovering an account. If you suspect your account has been compromised, secure it from a trusted device: change the password, enable two-step verification and review active sessions, while safely keeping whatever evidence you can.

Avoid responding with counter-threats or trying to hack the other person's account; this can increase the danger and create new facts. Once the data is preserved, you can consider reporting the account or content within the platform, without treating a platform report as a substitute for an official complaint. If there is an immediate physical danger, the priority is to seek urgent help from the Public Security Directorate.

Where to file a complaint and what to prepare

You can approach the competent security authorities, including the Cybercrime Unit, to report the incident and follow the complaint procedure they direct you to. Prepare a clear account of what happened, the demands made of you and the means of communication; tell them about any earlier transfers or attempts to access your account; and keep the device and the original files available on request.

You do not need to know the real name of the account holder before asking for help. State the information you have accurately and distinguish between what you know and what you infer. It is useful to prepare a list of the links and accounts used, because movement between multiple accounts can make the facts harder to follow if they remain scattered in memory or screenshots.

What if the images were fabricated with AI?

The Cybercrime Unit has warned about the use of artificial intelligence to create images and clips used for defamation, fraud and blackmail. That the content is fabricated therefore does not make a threat to publish it something to ignore, nor does it mean you need to circulate it to convince others it is not real.

Keep the copy you received, the message that came with it and the account information, and explain to the competent authority what you know about where the content came from. Avoid editing the file yourself to show manipulation; examining its origin and how it was created is a technical matter, and preserving the available copy helps the specialists assess it.

How a lawyer can help

A lawyer can review the sequence of events and the documents, explain the legal routes, and help prepare the complaint and follow the proceedings within the scope of the engagement. The case may also call for protecting civil rights or dealing legally with material that has already been published, depending on its circumstances and the available evidence.

If you need legal help, contact Hjouj Law Firm & Arbitration and describe the nature of the threat in general terms and whether a complaint is already pending. Agree first on a safe way to share sensitive material, and do not post your details or images in a public comment. Technical investigation and inquiry remain the responsibility of the competent official authorities.

To arrange a consultation: contact the firm →

This content is general information and does not replace advice on the facts of your case and the legislation that applies to it.

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