The terms "extortion" and "blackmail" are terms routinely used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts. Extortion means forcing someone to do something, usually give up something valuable under threats of injury, death or other illegal harm. Blackmail means specifically obtaining something of value under the threat to disclose something shameful or disreputable about a person. This can be true even if it would not have been illegal to simply make the reputation-damaging information public.

(Reviewed 12-08)