The crime of electronic extortion in Saudi Arabia is one of the criminal phenomena that threatens a very large number of individuals and societies and may pose a threat to their lives, so the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia deals seriously with this type of crime and tries with all possible efforts to reduce the spread of this crime and punish those who commit it. Electronic extortion depends on modern means of communication in threatening, blackmailing, and obtaining material gains or moral gains from individuals and societies.
The crime of electronic extortion in Saudi Arabia
Electronic extortion is defined as when an individual, an institution, a group, or others threatens an individual to publish valuable or sensitive information about him via the Internet. This goal can be financial, sexual, or other goals. Most of the time, some private data and information are threatened. The information and data can include intimate videos, photos, top-secret chat records, financial information, or chat logs.
The main reason for a person falling into the trap of electronic extortion is ignorance and negligence in dealing with social media, or that the person has good intentions in dealing and not expecting to be hacked by someone.
The crime of electronic blackmail begins with sending a large number of friend requests from different accounts, regardless of whether the recipient knows or not. Then he waits for the right time to blackmail the victim, who deals with good intentions. The blackmailer begins to communicate with the person with messages that help him to identify private information, then he saves all the data and information that he succeeded in accessing, after that comes the role of extortion, as the blackmailer sends audio recordings or information that the person cannot ignore and causes him to feel threatened and dangerous. Whoever publishes it, it becomes easy for the blackmailer to manipulate him and ask for what he wants so that he does not publish this very important information.
Penalty for the crime of electronic extortion in Saudi Arabia
According to the provisions of the Anti-Cyber and Information Crimes Law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Article Three of this Law, the penalty for the crime of electronic extortion in Saudi Arabia is imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand riyals, and one of the two penalties can be imposed without the other. .
This punishment is one of the most important penalties for cybercrime because there are a large number of young men and women who are subjected to electronic blackmail and its crime through people who may be unknown and may be known to them, the main goal of extortion is to discredit the person and obtain his money, which causes Financial and psychological damage to the person who was subjected to extortion.
According to the Public Prosecution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whoever enters illegally to threaten and blackmail a person and force him to do something he does not want to do or also prevent him from doing something, regardless of whether it is the work he wants or refrains from doing. Legislative or not, this matter is considered a crime of electronic extortion. The legislator clarified the penalty for electronic extortion in order to reduce these crimes and protect citizens and residents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Tips for a person who is a victim of electronic extortion
Not paying money to the blackmailer, because if the amount of money is paid for the first time, the blackmailer will seek more and more money without stopping.
Cut off contact with the blackmailer, because if you communicate with him, he will try to use every word you say against you.
Do not give in to threats in order not to cause more damage, such as bankruptcy or illegal action.
You should not negotiate with the blackmailer because this will give him the impression that the person is weak and feels afraid.
Manage your feelings of anxiety and fear and make safety contact in your area to help you.
You must report the blackmail to the police because the police will help you and try to catch the criminal.
It is imperative to change the password in case the blackmailer has access to your online account.
Caution must be taken with regard to information and data that is shared on the Internet, as it is advised not to publish personal information on the Internet, such as address, phone number, or e-mail address.
If any amounts of money were paid to the extortionist, the money that was paid must be proven in any possible way, provided that it is legal and reliable. Invoices for the money that have been paid can also be photographed.
You must keep the threatening messages or the threatening and blackmail methods that were used to prove that you have been blackmailed
You must ensure that the device is secure, that is, an antivirus program must be installed and it is important to obtain the latest version of it and follow the updates that are downloaded to it.
It is important to resort to a lawyer who has experience in this type of case, because he will give the best legal advice and advice possible, and he will also make an effort to restore the right and save the person from extortion.
Ways to avoid exposure to the crime of electronic extortion
The following are the most important things that must be done to reduce the risk of exposure to the crime of extortion and electronic threats:
Do not post unusual or private photos on social media.
Do not send nude photos to friends, even if they are close friends, because if their phone is hacked, you are at risk.
Pictures and videos that allow blackmail should not be saved in exchange for not publishing them, because electronic hacking can hack all conversations and also can hack a personal phone and steal all saved private pictures and videos.
Unreliable and anonymous links that are received through personal e-mail or sent to a member of your family should not be opened, because most of these links that were sent aim at electronic espionage and also steal all private data, information, photos and videos and use them for extortion.
It is important to read and e-learning more in order not to be among the people who do not have sufficient knowledge in social media, and because ignorance and social media increase the chances of exposure to extortion and threats.
It is important to implement basic commands that protect against hacking, piracy, and electronic espionage, such as turning off the camera in any site that requests video communication.
When changing clothes, the phone must be far away, even if it is closed, because espionage and hacking can access information, photos, and the home at any time, even if the phone is turned off.
Anonymous people should not be contacted on any social networking site except after making sure that the account is old and that there are real pictures and information in it and not false information or pictures that are not normal, or that the unknown person has a false name.
