Being blackmailed by Reddit essay writer

So yesterday I made a post asking for someone to write an essay for me on reddit. A writer got in touch and I payed him a deposit for the essay and emailed him the questions and format.

About an hour or two later I decide to write the essay myself due to my anxiety. I messaged him saying I didn't need his services anymore and blocked him and removed the post from reddit. He contacted me last night saying he wanted full payment for his services or he would contact my college with details.

He got my full name from PayPal or my email I believe I dont know how he got my colleges name. The emails went back and forth between us. I didnt give in and pay him. I got an email this morning a screenshot of him filling out the contact us on my colleges website asking for the Dean of the college email or other contact information to report a case of academic fraud. I didnt respond to this email. I don't know what to do.

If you didn't actually submit anything written for you, there's been no violation. College honor codes aren't like criminal law, because there's no such thing as "attempted" academic dishonesty or "conspiracy" to commit academic dishonesty. In the event that your school contacts you about it and demands a response, you can say that you did consider purchasing an essay but changed your mind and ended up writing it yourself. To take action against you, they'd need the actual essay that the writer claims to have written for you; so if you wrote and submitted your own essay, the writer couldn't possibly have it to show them for them to confirm that you actually submitted someone else's work as your own.

You do nothing. There is no existing evidence of an academic violation or breaking of the student honor code. He is playing a psy was on you. You were right not to cave. He never started work on the paper. Note that hw took a screenshot of a form filled out but not sent. He has nothing on you. An academic investigation will prove that if necessary. Rest easy. You are not in any sort of trouble with the university.

This is a perfect example of how opportunists exist in all forums. There will always be that freelancer who is more on the lookout for the con, rather than doing a clean and honest job for the money he wishes to earn. The OP was right to cancel the contract as soon as his gut feeling kicked in. The way that the writer used the email of the student to harass him highlights the importance of using a disposable email address when working with freelancers. Never use your legitimate or long term infomation when dealing with freelancers or any writing company for that matter. By using disposable addresses, the client manages to circumvent the blackmail plans of the writer / writing company. Always limit the access of the writer to any of your actual information. Never forward any data that has identifiers of any sort because the freelancer or company will definitely try to use it against you when the opportunity arises. In this case, since the OP did not continue with the deal, then he had nothing to worry about. There was no evidence of his having used a pre-written paper in any scenario the writer might have thought up to blackmail him.

It feels good to me to visit this forum in a while. I am surprised that scammers are still out there. I think over the years, different communication technologies have spread safety education to masses, but....

what did actually happen? did they contact your university?? im going through something similar please help?!

@teachersdontteach
Do not be afraid. We have your back. We will help however we can.

@teachersdontteach
What happend in the end please? I am in a worse sitation and panicking