[graemep]

I would describe that as blackmail. The legal term is different but its a serious crime and should be a police matter. The problem is victims may be scared or ashamed of reporting it to the police. In some places they may be guilty of a crime too.

There should be support. I suspect there are sources of support but a victim of this may not think of looking of this.

[wpietri]

Blackmail is how it ends up, yes, but the blackmail material is created through fraud, and the goal from the start is to extract money through trickery, so that part's a scam.