An escort website is blackmailing me and threatening to tell my wife or boss

DEAR DEIDRE: AN escort website is blackmailing me by threatening to tell my wife and my boss that I paid for sex, unless I give them a lot of money.

But all I did was look at the site out of curiosity. Now my mistake is threatening to ruin my marriage and my life.

I am 44 and happily married to a lovely woman, who is 42. We have two children.

A few months ago, I was on a business trip. Alone and bored in my hotel room, I went online.

When I came across a site offering escort services, I was curious.

I have never paid for sex or company in my life, but I clicked.

To see the girls “on offer” you had to put in your name and contact details. I assumed I could delete my account straight afterwards.

However, as soon as I’d input my details and looked at a few pictures, I got a message purporting to be from one of the girls.

I ignored it, unsubscribed and thought no more about it.

Two weeks later, out of the blue, I received a message from someone saying I’d “messed around with one of his girls”.

I pleaded innocence.

He told me that if I paid him £150, it would be forgotten.

But if I didn’t pay, he would contact my wife and my company, and post lies about me all over social media.

In a panic, I transferred the money.

Now, another two weeks on, I’ve had the same message from a different number. This time they want £200.

If my wife finds out, she’ll divorce me, I’ll lose my kids, and my boss will sack me.

I can’t eat or sleep. My wife keeps asking what’s wrong.

Please help.

DEIDRE SAYS: I realise how frightening this must be, but please don’t pay another penny.

If you do, these criminals – quite likely an organised gang – will keep coming back asking for more and more, and this will never end.

You must report this site to the police. You are being blackmailed and harassed, both of which are crimes.

Reporting the site may help to stop these people targeting anyone else.