FTC sues 'sextortion' protection firms over deceptive services

The FTC filed a federal lawsuit in Ohio against Dmitry Belkin and 12 of his companies, alleging they collected at least $60 million from customers while failing to deliver advertised sextortion and online-scam protection services, fabricating chat transcripts and denying refunds.

• FTC sued Dmitry Belkin and 12 companies in Ohio federal court
• Firms took in at least $60 million from customers since 2020
• Phase 1 packages cost $1,499 to $20,000 for undelivered services
• Employee scripts exploited victims' fears with terms like 'pedophile'