Cyber blackmail crime, one of the forms of cybercrime, has become a phenomenon that infiltrates society, threatens its pillars and strikes at the core of any civilized community’s goals to achieve security for its individuals and establish sense of safety among them. The reason why the cybercrime is incriminated might be threat and extortion. The crime of cyber blackmail may be defined as extorting and threatening the victim to force him to engage in or prevent him from engaging in a certain act through computer network or information technology means, even if such act or omission is legal.

There are two types of cyber blackmail; the material blackmail, where the perpetrator threatens the victim using tangible material means, such as pictures, videos, documents, etc., and the moral blackmail which is a threat using intangible means, such as the use of severe threatening words to expose the victim so that the latter thinks that his blackmailer will definitely execute his threat.

The blackmail has different goals that may be limited to: material, sexual and beneficial goals.

The ways to face cyber blackmail crime:

1-  Report the blackmail directly to security agencies;

2-  To not submit to extortion and blackmail;

3-  To not accept friendship of unknown people.

4-  To not send any sums of money under direct threat.

5-  Be careful of dating websites and applications and unofficial recruitment sites, that very often are the beginning of victim hunting.

In this regard, article 16 of UAE Federal Law No. 5 of 2012 states “Shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of two years at most and a fine not less than two hundred fifty thousand dirhams and not in excess of five hundred thousand dirhams or either of these two penalties whoever uses a computer network or information technology means to extort or threaten another person to force him to engage in or prevent him from engaging in a certain act. The punishment shall be imprisonment up to ten years if the subject of threat is to commit a felony or engage in matters against honor or morals”. In other words, the UAE Law describes the cyber blackmail as misdemeanor but considers the same as felony if the subject of threat is to commit a felony or engage in matters against honor or morals.

The Public Prosecution plays a big role and makes huge efforts in coordination with the related entities to combat and reduce cyber blackmail crime. In the area of prevention, the Federal Public Prosecution’s role is to raise awareness on hazards of cyber blackmail and the prevention of acts that might expose victims to cyber blackmail through all social media channels and respond to inquiries directly addressed in this regard. To this effect, the Public Prosecution launched a safe community application that allows individuals to report any crime or suspicious act occurring on social media sites and violating public security, threatening community safety, public morals or order, or otherwise report any negative or alien phenomena, or events of negative impact upon public opinion, with a view to enhancing the community engagement in protecting society from cybercrimes.