IANAL, but I don't see how this fits the legal definition of blackmail, which, as I understand it, requires that the blackmailer not have a right to the propert

IANAL, but I don't see how this fits the legal definition of blackmail, which, as I understand it, requires that the blackmailer not have a right to the property they are attempting to extort from the victim. Creditors routinely threaten to report debtors to the credit bureaus -- is that blackmail?? I think if you said "I'm going to the DA if you don't pay me double the amount you owe me", that would be blackmail. Admittedly, the suggestion to just go ahead and file charges doesn't seem like bad advice to me.