Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke turned the tables on a would-be blackmailer, publicly mocking and exposing the scammer through a post shared on Falling In Reverse’s Instagram.
The post addressed an individual who attempted to blackmail Radke by threatening to leak his phone number, email, and IP address — information allegedly obtained from old data breaches. Radke found the situation more amusing than alarming. Every single piece of information the scammer had turned out to be completely wrong.
“This person thinks he has my phone number and email and is trying to blackmail me so I’m posting it here,” Radke wrote in the Instagram Stories. “Fool trying to blackmail me with literally everything incorrect.”
Radke went on to highlight the absurdity of the situation, noting that the scammer was not only committing a serious crime but doing so with entirely false information.
“Literally committing felonies but also incorrect is the craziest shit I ever seen,” he continued. “I can say with 1000% certainty that is not my phone number and that is 100% not my email.”
No further action from Radke has been announced at this time. The public callout effectively neutralized the blackmail attempt before it could cause any real damage.
The incident adds another chapter to Radke’s long history of confronting adversity head-on — both on and off the stage. It also reflects a growing trend of celebrities being targeted by scammers armed with outdated or entirely fabricated personal data sourced from old breaches.
Radke is no stranger to controversy and public scrutiny. As Kerrang! has reported, Radke has built a reputation for addressing personal and public conflicts directly through social media, often turning potentially damaging situations into moments that resonate with his fanbase. His willingness to publicly expose the blackmailer rather than quietly handle it behind the scenes is consistent with that approach.
Falling In Reverse has also been riding a significant wave of mainstream momentum. Billboard noted that the band has seen a surge in popularity in recent years, with their genre-blending sound attracting a broader audience beyond the rock and metalcore scenes. That heightened visibility likely makes Radke a more attractive — if misguided — target for opportunistic scammers.
The type of extortion attempt Radke described is increasingly common. The Federal Trade Commission reported that data breach-related extortion scams have risen sharply in recent years, with bad actors purchasing stolen or leaked personal data in bulk and using it to threaten high-profile individuals. Often, they do so without verifying whether the information is accurate or current.
In this case, that lack of verification proved to be the scammer’s undoing. Radke’s decision to go public not only dismantled the threat but also served as a warning to others who might attempt similar schemes. The post drew widespread attention from fans and media alike, with many praising Radke for handling the situation with humor rather than alarm.
