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Blackmailed online or account hacked in Qatar: what to do and how to report

If someone is threatening to share your photos or videos, or has taken over your WhatsApp, Instagram or email, do not pay and do not reply. Keep the evidence, report to the Ministry of Interior's cybercrime department, and take your accounts back step by step.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Golden rule
Do not pay, do not reply, do not send anything more
Report to
MOI Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department: hotline 66815757 or 2347444, Metrash, or in person
In danger now
Call 999
Cost
Reporting to the MOI and to the platforms is free

Online blackmail usually starts with a friendly stranger, a video call or a hacked account, and ends with a demand: pay, or your photos, videos or chats will be sent to your family, friends or employer. It is frightening, but it is a crime in Qatar, and you are the victim. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) says the most important things are to stop talking to the blackmailer, block them everywhere, and report quickly, because digital evidence can disappear. This guide covers blackmail and sextortion, hacked WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and email accounts, and fake profiles pretending to be you. Work through it in order: stop and do not pay, save the evidence, report to the MOI's Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department, report to the platform, then take back and lock down your accounts. Money scams by SMS, fake links and bank fraud are covered in our separate scams guide.

Before you start

  • Your phone or computer with the messages, chats and call logs still on it (do not delete anything yet)
  • Screenshots that show the blackmailer's username or profile link, phone number and the dates of messages
  • Any payment details they sent you: bank account, wallet number, gift-card request or crypto address
  • Your QID, for the police report and to log in to Metrash
  • Access to the phone number and email linked to the hacked account, so recovery codes reach you
  • A second device or a trusted person's phone, in case your own account or phone is compromised
  • Notes in your own words: when it started, what was said, what was sent and what was paid, if anything
  • A trusted friend or family member to sit with you while you deal with it, if that helps

Step by step

  1. Stop, breathe and do not reply

    Blackmailers rely on panic. They give short deadlines and send screenshots of your friends list to make you act fast. Stop all contact: do not argue, plead, negotiate or explain. The MOI's advice to victims is not to respond to the offender at all. You do not have to answer a single message more, and nothing you say will make a criminal behave fairly.

  2. Do not pay and do not send more

    Paying almost never ends it. Once a blackmailer knows you will pay, they usually come back for more, and the MOI warns that further demands can lead to many other complications. Do not send money, gift cards, crypto or more photos, and do not agree to 'one last' video call. Many of these gangs work from outside Qatar, target hundreds of people at once and move on when a victim stops responding. If you have already paid, stop now and still report it; the payment details help investigators.

  3. Save the evidence before you block

    Before blocking or deleting anything, take screenshots of the whole conversation, the threats, the demand for money and the payment details. Make sure the username, profile link or phone number and the dates are visible, because display names and photos are easy to change. Copy the profile link (URL) into a note, and keep any video call logs and email headers. Do not delete the chat or your account, and do not forward the intimate images themselves to friends; keep them only as evidence for the police. Back up the screenshots somewhere safe, such as a private cloud folder or a USB stick.

  4. Block them everywhere and lock your profiles

    Once the evidence is saved, block the person on every app they used and any others where they found you. Then make your accounts private for now: hide your friends or followers list, your phone number and your workplace, and remove public posts that show your family. Blackmailers use these lists to show you who they will send things to. Tighten privacy settings on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and LinkedIn.

  5. Report to the MOI's cybercrime department

    Blackmail, threats, hacking and impersonation are handled by the MOI's Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department. You can report by phone (hotline 66815757 or 2347444), through the Metrash app, by email, or in person. The MOI says speed matters, because digital evidence can be lost or changed, so report the same day if you can. In person, bring your QID, your phone and printed copies of your screenshots. Write down any report or reference number you are given.

    Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →

  6. Report the account and content to the platform

    Use the 'Report' option on the blackmailer's profile and on each message, choosing the options for harassment, blackmail or sharing private images. Platforms can remove the account and its content even while the police investigate. If you are 18 or over and someone has, or threatens to share, intimate images of you, StopNCII.org lets you create a digital fingerprint of the image on your own device so partner platforms can block copies; the image itself never leaves your phone. If the person in the images was under 18, use Take It Down (takeitdown.ncmec.org) instead.

  7. Take back a hacked WhatsApp

    If your WhatsApp has been taken over, open WhatsApp on your own phone and register your number again with the 6-digit SMS code; this usually logs the other person out. Never share that code with anyone, even a friend asking for it. Once back in, check Settings, Linked devices and log out anything you do not recognise, then turn on two-step verification with a new PIN and a recovery email. If you cannot get back in, email WhatsApp support (support@whatsapp.com) with 'Lost/Stolen: Please deactivate my account' and your number in full international format (for example +974...). If the SIM itself stopped working, call your mobile provider at once.

    Read guide: Mobile plans in Qatar: prepaid, postpaid and eSIM →

  8. Recover Instagram, Facebook or email

    For Instagram, go to instagram.com/hacked on any browser and follow the questions; Facebook has a similar 'hacked account' option in its help centre. For email (Gmail, Outlook and others), use the provider's account recovery page, then change the password and review recent security activity. After you are back in, change the password to a new one you do not use anywhere else, turn on two-factor authentication, check the recovery phone and email have not been changed, and remove unknown logins and connected apps. Recover your email first if you can, because it is the key to resetting everything else.

  9. Deal with fake profiles pretending to be you

    If someone has made an account with your name and photos, report it using the platform's impersonation option; most platforms let the real person or a friend report it. Ask friends to report it too, and post a short note from your real account saying the other one is fake. Screenshot the fake profile and its link first, and include it in your MOI report, as impersonation and misusing your photos are covered by Qatar's Cybercrime Law.

  10. Warn your contacts

    Hackers often use a stolen WhatsApp or Instagram to ask your contacts for money or verification codes. Tell your family, friends and colleagues by phone, SMS or another account that messages from your old account are not from you, and that they should not send money or codes. If the blackmailer has contacted people you know, a short calm message such as 'I am being targeted by an online blackmailer and have reported it to the police; please do not reply or share anything' takes away much of their power.

  11. Lock down your accounts and devices

    Use a different strong password for every important account, and turn on two-factor authentication for email, WhatsApp, social media and banking. Update your phone and apps, remove apps you did not install, and only download apps from the official app stores. The MOI warns that some malicious apps can record audio and video, so be careful with links and files from strangers. For government services, use Tawtheeq (the national login) and never share its codes. If you entered card or bank details anywhere, call your bank straight away.

    Read guide: Tawtheeq (National Authentication System): signing up and logging in →

  12. Look after yourself and get support

    Being blackmailed is stressful and can feel very isolating, but it is common and it is not your fault. Talk to someone you trust. The National Mental Health Helpline (16000, option 4) is free and confidential. If the person threatening you is a current or former partner or family member, our domestic abuse guide explains where to get help. If you think you have broken a rule yourself or you are worried about your residence, a lawyer can advise you privately before or after you report. If anyone talks about harming themselves, call 999.

    Read guide: Finding mental health support in Qatar →

Common mistakes

  • Paying 'just once' to make it go away. It usually leads to more demands, not fewer.
  • Blocking the person and deleting the whole chat before taking screenshots, so there is nothing left to show the police.
  • Screenshotting only the display name and photo, not the username, phone number or profile link, which are what investigators can trace.
  • Sharing the intimate photos or video with friends to 'ask for advice'. Pass them only to the police as evidence.
  • Trying to hack back, threaten or 'expose' the blackmailer yourself. This can break the law and damage your own case.
  • Giving a WhatsApp or email verification code to a 'friend' who messages asking for it. That is how many accounts are stolen.
  • Waiting days before reporting. The MOI says quick reporting is what makes evidence-gathering succeed.
  • Recovering one account but leaving the same password on others, so the hacker simply logs in elsewhere.

Questions people ask

I was on a video call with someone I met online, and now they are threatening to send the recording to my family unless I pay. What should I do?

This is a very common scam, often run by groups outside Qatar using fake profiles. Do not pay and do not reply. Save screenshots of the profile, the threats and the payment details, block the person everywhere, make your friends list private, and report to the MOI cybercrime hotline (66815757) or through Metrash. Many blackmailers give up when the victim goes silent.

Will I get into trouble myself if I report it, because of what I shared?

Using a network to threaten or blackmail someone is a crime under Article 9 of Qatar's Cybercrime Law, and the MOI urges victims to report rather than deal with it alone. We could not find an official statement on how every case is treated, so if you are worried about your own position, speak privately to a lawyer before or while you report. Staying silent and paying usually makes things worse, not safer.

They have already posted it or sent it to my friends. Is it too late?

No. Report the posts to the platform straight away so they can be removed, and report the person to the MOI, because publishing someone's private pictures or videos is an offence under Article 8 of the Cybercrime Law even if they are real. If you are 18 or over, StopNCII.org can help stop the same image being re-uploaded on partner platforms. Ask friends who received it to delete it and not to forward it.

The blackmailer seems to be outside Qatar. Can the police here do anything?

Report it anyway. The report creates an official record, the platforms can still remove the accounts, and the details you provide, such as payment accounts and phone numbers, can help investigators. Even if no one is arrested, stopping contact and locking down your accounts usually ends the threat.

My WhatsApp was hacked and the hacker is asking my contacts for money. What do I do first?

Re-register WhatsApp on your phone with the SMS code to push the hacker out, then log out unknown linked devices and turn on two-step verification. At the same time, warn your contacts by phone or SMS not to send money or codes. If you cannot get back in, email support@whatsapp.com asking to deactivate the account, and report the hack to the MOI.

Someone has made a fake Instagram account with my name and photos. How do I get it taken down?

Screenshot the fake profile and its link, then report it through Instagram's impersonation option and ask friends to report it as well. If it is being used to insult you, contact your friends, ask for money or blackmail you, include it in a report to the MOI's cybercrime department.

My teenager is being blackmailed online. What should we do?

Stay calm and make sure your child knows they are not in trouble with you, because shame is what blackmailers use to keep children quiet. Do not pay or reply, keep the evidence, and report to the MOI straight away. If the images show someone under 18, use Take It Down (takeitdown.ncmec.org) to help stop them spreading, and tell the school if the blackmailer is another student.

An ex-partner is threatening to share private photos of me. Is that the same crime?

Yes. Threatening someone through phones or the internet to make them do something is blackmail under Article 9 of the Cybercrime Law, whether the person is a stranger or someone you know. Keep the messages and report to the MOI. If you also feel unsafe at home or in person, see our domestic abuse guide, and call 999 in an emergency.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

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