June 16, 2025 – The latest update on blackmailing format is trending online, popularly known as yahoo blackmail, and this time, it’s raising major concerns among internet users and even security agencies. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other cybercrime authorities are reportedly confused by a newly discovered the 2025 blackmail format currently trending.
According to the self-proclaimed yahoo boy who spoke anonymously, this blackmailing scheme is not only modern but extremely difficult to trace. He claimed he wanted to expose the blackmailing format to help people become more careful, and has detailed how the format works from beginning to end.
How Blackmailing Format Works
The blackmail method starts with the use of social media platforms, especially Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram. The target can be young women and men with attractive profiles, using fake accounts with stolen photos. The gee explained that they often pretend to be foreigners, mostly white men or women looking for friendship, relationships, or casual conversations.
Once the connection is established, you builds trust with the target over a few days or weeks. During this period, they exchange personal stories, photos, and videos. The young man, who gave his alias as “azza,” said, “We make them feel safe, like we are lovers or close friends. That way, they relax and can open up or send private content.”
The turning point comes when the client is asked to participate in a video call. According to azza, this is the most important stage. During the fake video call, the scammer tricks the victim into performing sexual acts. What the victim does not know is that the call is being screen-recorded using third-party tools or modified phone software.
Once the recording is secured, the blackmail begins.
With the recorded video in hand, you send a short message to the victim saying, “If you don’t send me money, I will post this video to your family and friends. It can even be something secret about them.” They often attach a small clip from the full video to prove that they are serious.
You can ask for payment through cryptocurrency wallets, mostly Bitcoin or USDT, because they are hard to trace. “We ask them to pay through Binance or Trust Wallet. Once the money enters, we delete the video, but some of my guys still keep it in case the person becomes stubborn again,” azza said.
Sometimes, yahoo boys can go as far as searching for the victim’s family members or employer online and threatening to send the video to them if payment is not made within a few hours. The psychological pressure is intense, and many victims pay out of fear and shame.
Meanwhile, sources say this new format is difficult to trace or crack because no physical cash is involved, and most of the communication takes place on encrypted apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.
An EFCC official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, explained, “The victims rarely report these cases due to embarrassment. And even when they do, the scammers usually use fake SIM cards, VPNs, and crypto wallets that are hard to trace.”
The use of cryptocurrency has been a major challenge for security agencies across Nigeria. Despite efforts by the Central Bank and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to regulate crypto transactions, fraudsters continue to exploit the loopholes in the system.
Blackmail Format Requirements
Many Yahoo boys now use VPN apps to hide their IP addresses, making it almost impossible to track their physical location. In addition, tools like OBS Studio, Screen Recorder apps, and advanced phone cloners are used to carry out the operations.
Azza stated, “Everything is on phone now. You don’t even need a laptop. With the right app, I can record any video call without the person knowing. That’s the real game.”
Crypto wallets are also central to the scam. Yahoo boys can create fake identities and open multiple wallets on platforms like Binance, Trust Wallet, and KuCoin. Once the victim sends money, it is quickly transferred to other wallets and sometimes converted into gift cards for even faster liquidation.
One of the reasons this format is working is because clients are too ashamed to speak up. Many fear being exposed or judged, especially in a conservative society like Nigeria.
Yahoo boys have to be smart, and know that most people won’t report because it involves adult acts. That’s the real weapon they use to silence clients.
Even though online safety campaigns have increased in Nigeria, blackmail format is a step ahead of both users and the authorities.
This new format is trending on private Telegram groups and paid online tutorials. These private groups, often with hundreds of members, share strategies, tools, and even templates for chatting and blackmail.
“Some of these groups charge you before you join. Once you’re in, you can see live cases of clients being billed and how the money drops,” azza said.
He also revealed that some of the g-boys now teach others for money, creating what he described as “online Yahoo school.” These schools often advertise with slogans like “Make $500 a day with your phone,” targeting young Nigerians who are desperate to escape poverty.
Meanwhile, the blackmail format is also quickly spreading outside Nigeria, especially to neighboring countries.
As the blackmailing scheme grows, security agencies has urged people to avoid unknown friend requests, especially those that look too good to be true. The Commission is also calling on foreign clients to come forward, no matter how embarrassing the situation may seem.
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This trending Yahoo format shows how cybercrime is evolving quickly and quietly. While some insiders like Bullet may try to expose it, the reality is that many others are still using it every day to exploit vulnerable people online.
