Online Safety and Privacy
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Sextortion: What It Is, How It Works, and What to Do If It Happens to You
Sextortion is a heinous crime that takes place over the internet and can target anyone, including children. Here’s what to know.
Sextortion is a form of online abuse in which someone threatens to share intimate images, videos, or other sexual content unless the victim does what they demand. The perpetrator may demand money, additional images, sexual activity, or something else.
Sextortion can happen to anyone. This includes adults, teenagers, and children. It can begin on social media, messaging apps, dating platforms, online games, or anywhere people communicate online. In some cases, the perpetrator is a stranger, but not always. Oftentimes, they pretend to be a romantic interest or someone around the victim's age.
The important thing to remember is this: If someone is threatening or blackmailing you with sexual images, you are the victim of a crime. You are not to blame. And you can take action.
What is sextortion?
Sextortion is a type of blackmail (where the "extortion" part comes from) involving sexual images, videos, or other intimate material.
A perpetrator tries to trick or pressure someone into sending an intimate image. Then they threaten to share it with friends, family, coworkers, classmates, or the public unless the victim complies with their demands. Those demands can include:
Sending more intimate images or videos
Sending money – often through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency
Engaging in sexual activity
Continuing to communicate with the perpetrator
Providing additional personal information
Sextortion can also begin with a threat. A perpetrator may falsely claim they already have an intimate image or video and threaten to release it unless the victim sends them something. With the rise of generative AI, sextortionists can create explicit AI “deepfake” images based on photos and attempt to commit the scam with those, too.
How does sextortion work?
Sextortion often follows a predictable pattern, although perpetrators can use many different tactics.
The scammer makes contact
The person may send a direct message, friend request, or chat invitation. They might pretend to be someone the victim knows or someone around their age. Often, the approach is friendly or romantic. Other times, the perpetrator offers something valuable, such as money, gifts, or video game credits.
They build trust
The conversation usually seems harmless initially. The person may ask about hobbies, relationships, school, work, or other personal interests. Perpetrators spend time establishing a relationship before making a sexual request. These scammers are willing to spend a lot of time counterfeiting a relationship before pulling the trigger on the scam.
They obtain an intimate image
Eventually, the perpetrator pressures the victim to send a nude or sexually explicit photo or video. They may send an image first to make the request seem normal. But that image is likely not of the person. That image might belong to someone else, have been taken from the internet, or created by AI.
The threats begin
Once the perpetrator has sexual material, the situation changes very quickly. The extortion begins. The criminal threatens to send the image to the victim's friends and family, post it publicly, contact their school or workplace, or otherwise expose them. They may also threaten physical violence or harm to people the victim cares about. The scammer's goal is to make the victim afraid that complying is the only way to stop the situation. They want you to feel alone, under pressure, exposed, and at their mercy.
The demands continue
Unfortunately, giving in does not necessarily end sextortion. There's no reason why a perpetrator who receives money won't demand more. If they receive one image, they will demand more. The threats often continue as long as the perpetrator believes fear and shame will keep the victim engaged. For financially motivated sextortion, even if it involves minors, perpetrators may release sexually explicit material even after receiving payment.
What should you do if you are being sextorted?
If this is happening to you, your first priority should be getting yourself out of the situation safely. You do not need to solve it by yourself. Ask for help.
Don't pay. Don't send more images.
In this situation, it's tempting to pay or comply with the perpetrator's demands because you want the threats to stop. But there is no guarantee that doing so will end the sextortion.
Do not send additional intimate images or videos. If money is being demanded, do not assume that paying will make the problem disappear.
Save evidence.
Before blocking the perpetrator, preserve evidence that could help investigators, which might include:
Screenshots of messages and threats
Usernames and profile information
Phone numbers or email addresses
Payment requests and transaction information
Links to online accounts or posts
Dates and times of communications
Do not forward or share sexual images of minors. If a child is involved, follow instructions from law enforcement or child-protection professionals about preserving and handling evidence.
Stop communicating with the perpetrator.
Once you realize sextortion is occurring, stop engaging with the person. You don't need to keep engaging with them to collect evidence of the crime. Once you have collected screenshots and other info, block the account and report it to the platform. You do not need to convince the perpetrator to stop, negotiate with them, or explain why you will not comply.
Tell someone!
Sextortion is designed to make people feel isolated and ashamed. Telling someone can be difficult, but you don't have to handle it alone. They will understand.
For a child or teenager, this might be a parent, caregiver, teacher, counselor, coach, or another trusted adult.
For an adult, it could be a partner, friend, family member, or counselor. You should also contact local law enforcement.
You did not cause the crime by sending an image. The person threatening you is responsible for the crime.
Report the crime.
Sextortion is a crime, and victims should report it.
In the United States, victims can report sextortion to the FBI through a local FBI field office, by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through the FBI's online reporting system at IC3.gov.
When a child is involved, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has a CyberTipline, another important reporting resource.
What if the sexual image has already been shared?
If an intimate image has already been posted or sent to someone else, it may feel as though the situation is beyond your control. It isn't. Continue to preserve evidence and report the abuse. You can also report the image or account to the platform where it appears.
For images or videos of someone taken when they were under 18, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children offers Take It Down, a free service designed to help prevent or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images and videos of minors.
Most importantly, don't let the fear of an image being shared prevent you from asking for help. People understand, and support is out there. Talk to someone you trust.
Sextortion and kids: What parents need to know
Children and teenagers can be particularly vulnerable to sextortion because perpetrators deliberately look for ways to gain their trust. Victims come from different genders, backgrounds, and socioeconomic groups. The common factor is simply that they have access to the internet, such as online games and social media. Given how much of life happens online, this group includes basically all kids.
How perpetrators target kids
A sextortion attempt involving a child or teenager might start with:
A stranger pretending to be another teenager or a friend of a friend
Flirting or romantic attention
Compliments and friendship
An offer of money or gift cards
Video game credits, codes, or other digital rewards
A request to move a conversation to another platform
A threat claiming the perpetrator already has an intimate image
Remember, scammers may use images stolen from other people or images generated with artificial intelligence.
AI-generated images can be used for sextortion, too
Artificial intelligence has introduced another tool for perpetrators. A child does not necessarily have to create or send a nude image for someone to threaten them with one. The U.S. Secret Service recently described a case involving a 16-year-old girl whose face was digitally placed onto an artificially generated nude image. The perpetrator then threatened to share the fake image unless she paid money.
The image wasn't real, but the fear and humiliation it caused were.
That distinction matters. A fabricated sexual image can still be used to threaten, harass, intimidate, and harm someone.
Why don't kids tell their parents?
A child experiencing sextortion will often be terrified to tell an adult. They may believe their parents will be angry, take away their phone, punish them, or blame them for sending the image. The perpetrator may reinforce those fears by telling the child that they will get in trouble or that nobody will believe them. Shame, embarrassment, and fear of consequences can prevent children from asking for help.
That's why one of the most important things parents can do is make it clear before something happens that their child can come to them. You can have this talk today!
Have a conversation with your kids soon
Use your own words, but say something like:
"If someone ever asks you for a private picture or threatens you online, you can come to me. You will not be in trouble. My job is to help you."
That message can make a difference when a frightened child has to decide whether to stay silent or ask for help.
How to talk to kids about sextortion
You don't need to give a child a frightening lecture about online predators. Instead, make sextortion part of ongoing conversations about online safety.
Talk about a few basic rules:
People online may not be who they say they are. A profile picture, video call, or friendly conversation doesn't prove someone's identity.
Nothing truly disappears online. Even messages, photos, or videos designed to disappear can potentially be captured or saved.
A request for an intimate image is always a red flag, and you can stop talking. Kids should know they can stop the conversation, block the person, and tell an adult.
Children should always be cautious about people they meet online, even if other people say they're also young. Trying to move a conversation to another platform is another red flag.
And if all of this makes you think twice about allowing your kids to be on these platforms where they interact with others, that's fine! They'll have plenty of time to play games when they're adults.
But even if phones or video game chats are prohibited at your house, you should still have a talk. Kids are known for getting around their parents' rules—they might play games at a friend's house, for example.
Highlight that they will never be punished for asking for help. This may be the most important message of all.
How can you help prevent sextortion?
No security measure can eliminate the risk completely, but a few habits can make it harder for perpetrators to target you or someone in your family.
Be careful about what you share publicly. Public social media accounts can give strangers information about your life.
Always be cautious with strangers online. Don't assume someone is trustworthy because they seem friendly.
Remember that photos aren't proof of identity. Images can be stolen, altered, or generated.
Stop talking if they want to move a conversation elsewhere. A request to switch from a game or social platform to a private messaging service is often be a warning sign.
Always think carefully before sharing intimate material. Once you send an image, you lose control over where it can go.
Know how to block and report accounts.
Remember: Sextortion is not your fault
Sextortion works by creating fear. The perpetrator wants you to believe that you have no options, that you will get in trouble, or that complying will make everything go away. Those feelings can make it extremely difficult to think clearly or ask for help. They might even, sadly, make you think about hurting yourself.
There is always a way forward.
Don't pay. Don't send more images. Preserve evidence. Stop communicating with the perpetrator. Report the crime. Tell someone you trust.
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Frequently Asked Questions about sextortion
Should I pay a sextortionist?
No. Paying does not guarantee that the threats will stop.
What if a sextortionist has already shared my image?
You can still take action. Preserve evidence, report the account or content to the platform, and report the crime to law enforcement. If the image was taken when you were under 18, NCMEC's Take It Down service may also help prevent or stop its online sharing.
What should I do if my child is being sextorted?
Stay calm and reassure them that they are not in trouble. Don't blame or shame them. Preserve evidence and stop communicating with the perpetrator. Report the account and crime. Contact the FBI at IC3.gov.
Can AI-generated images be used for sextortion?
Yes. A perpetrator may use AI to create a fake sexual image of someone and then threaten to share it.
