Having seen ... I mean physically seen, people send pics and get blackmail messages sent to them threatening to out them, with a pic copy of the convo and their number, I can assure you the threat is real, and not asinine (extremely stupid or foolish?).
Like all things, its a privacy concern, and each individual person has to weight the risks and benefits. Many of us have concluded that risk is not worth it. You have concluded otherwise, that's your choice, that's "how on earth." Also, the stated reason (make sure you aren't LEO, or safety) is questionable at best in terms of its efficacy.
Whether or not you can actually blackmail someone isn't the point, the tool of the blackmailer is fear and the threat... if they actually HAVE to blackmail you it's failed. Like all scams, it surely relies on sheer numbers for ultimate success, but in all cases its the con that is the issue. YMMV.
Isn't a provider I've met that's worth the risk. None. As the consumer, hopefully you decide to put your resources into play similarly.
That's my entry.
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