The author recounts several instances of attempted blackmail and extortion, often related to their public profile and writings on cryptography and darknet markets. In 2012, an individual attempted to extort $48.76 for forum usernames, which the author declined, publicly stating a commitment not to pay. The extortionist's offer, which decreased in value over time, was analyzed for its psychological and decision-theoretic flaws.

Further incidents include an encryption bluff in 2013 where the author was accused of being Dread Pirate Roberts, and a 2013 attempt to blackmail them for billions of dollars for being Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2014, the DNM Evolution threatened to dox the author, and in 2015, an Agora user succeeded in doxing them, leading to a small bounty payment. The author also offered a bounty for novel de-anonymization methods.

Despite being sometimes mistaken for influential figures like Satoshi Nakamoto or a law enforcement agent due to their writing on topics like Bitcoin and darknet markets, the author maintains they are simply a writer. These encounters highlight the peculiar and sometimes irritating situations that can arise from online notoriety.