$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
workplace affair sextortion threat scam
An email or message threatens to reveal an alleged extramarital affair or inappropriate workplace relationship to the victim's employer and spouse unless a payment is made.
“sextortion scam”
↑ 73%Key indicators
Usually targetsProfessionals
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$900
median reported loss
Typical range$180 – $9.0K
Recovery rate~5%
Annual reports26,718
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers send mass emails to professionals claiming to have evidence of an extramarital affair or workplace misconduct.
2
The email is kept deliberately vague so that recipients with guilty consciences or anxiety may believe the claim.
3
A Bitcoin wallet address is provided with a short deadline, relying on shame and panic to drive payment.
What to do first
Do not respond or pay — these are untargeted mass emails with no actual evidence.
Related terms
affair blackmail emailworkplace reputation extortioninfidelity threat scamSextortion scamsEmailRisingProfessionalsAdultsFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaaffair blackmail emailworkplace reputation extortion
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Paul, 35, a professionals, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate sextortion scams situation while using Email. Scammers send mass emails to professionals claiming to have evidence of an extramarital affair or workplace misconduct.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: The email is kept deliberately vague so that recipients with guilty consciences or anxiety may believe the claim.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: A Bitcoin wallet address is provided with a short deadline, relying on shame and panic to drive payment.
The outcome
Paul realized something was wrong when vague accusations with no specific names, dates, or evidence provided. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Do not respond or pay — these are untargeted mass emails with no actual evidence. Paul's experience shows why vague accusations with no specific names, dates, or evidence provided and threatens to contact your hr department and spouse simultaneously are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Vague accusations with no specific names, dates, or evidence provided
- Threatens to contact your HR department and spouse simultaneously
- Demands cryptocurrency payment to a wallet address within 24-48 hours
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Do not respond or pay — these are untargeted mass emails with no actual evidence.
- ✓Report the email as phishing to your email provider and forward it to the FBI IC3.
- ✓If the email arrives at your work address, inform your IT security team.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Keep the full sender address, domain, attachments, and—if possible—the raw email headers.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The FTC has documented shame-based extortion emails as an increasingly common variant in its annual consumer complaint data.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Do not respond or pay — these are untargeted mass emails with no actual evidence.
- ✓Report the email as phishing to your email provider and forward it to the FBI IC3.
- ✓If the email arrives at your work address, inform your IT security team.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The FTC has documented shame-based extortion emails as an increasingly common variant in its annual consumer complaint data.
FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Professionals, Adults
Geographic concentration
United States, United Kingdom, Canada
Primary channel
Email — Sextortion scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Professionals are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The FTC has documented shame-based extortion emails as an increasingly common variant in its annual consumer complaint data.
Source notes
- FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about workplace affair sextortion threat scam
How does the workplace affair sextortion threat scam work?+
Scammers send mass emails to professionals claiming to have evidence of an extramarital affair or workplace misconduct. The email is kept deliberately vague so that recipients with guilty consciences or anxiety may believe the claim. A Bitcoin wallet address is provided with a short deadline, relying on shame and panic to drive payment.
What are the warning signs of workplace affair sextortion threat scam?+
Vague accusations with no specific names, dates, or evidence provided Threatens to contact your HR department and spouse simultaneously Demands cryptocurrency payment to a wallet address within 24-48 hours
What should I do if I encounter workplace affair sextortion threat scam?+
Do not respond or pay — these are untargeted mass emails with no actual evidence. Report the email as phishing to your email provider and forward it to the FBI IC3. If the email arrives at your work address, inform your IT security team.
Who is most at risk for workplace affair sextortion threat scam?+
This scam primarily targets Professionals, Adults. It is most commonly reported in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and typically appears on Email.
Is workplace affair sextortion threat scam on the rise?+
workplace affair sextortion threat scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, UK, CA. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.