An Ohio-based company that marketed itself as a provider of assistance to victims of sextortion has been shut down by the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly defrauding customers of more than $60 million over the past three years. Digital Forensics Corporation (DFC), which operated internationally with offices in Costa Rica, Mexico, Belarus, the Philippines, India, and Canada, was accused of using aggressive sales tactics and failing to deliver promised services.

Sextortion, a growing cybercrime particularly targeting children and young men in North America, involves perpetrators threatening to release explicit images unless victims pay them. This surge has led to the emergence of companies offering help to remove such content. DFC was among the more prominent for-profit entities in this sector.

The FTC’s complaint, unsealed on October 13, outlines that DFC routinely misrepresented its ability to take down nude images from the internet, describing these claims as inflated and fraudulent. The commission’s investigation included undercover operatives posing as victims, who revealed persistent high-pressure sales techniques that led consumers to pay amounts ranging from $1,499 to $20,000 for services that were often not provided.

In its filing, the FTC stated that despite numerous complaints and inquiries from consumer protection agencies, the company continued its alleged deceptive practices. The commission secured a temporary restraining order on October 5 barring DFC from further operations and froze the company’s assets. The FTC is also seeking monetary damages, though the amount remains unspecified.

Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, described the company’s behavior as exploitative, noting that it preyed on individuals already in crisis by using fear to extract large payments for ineffective help. The FTC further accused the company of suppressing negative online reviews and fabricating thousands of positive testimonials. The complaint charges DFC, its owner Dmitry Belkin, and affiliated entities with violations of federal laws including the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rules, the Reviews and Testimonials Rule, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

Victims of sextortion have access to free services such as Take It Down, provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and StopNCII.org for those over 18, which assist in removing private content from social media platforms.

Representatives for Digital Forensics Corporation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In earlier statements, the company defended its business practices and referenced positive customer reviews.