What sextortion is and how to respond to it: Full overview for 2025

DISCLAIMER: If you or a family member is facing sextortion, do not comply with extortionist demands — instead, you should report the crime to your local police department and seek support. For US citizens, you can report extortion to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1-800-CALL-FBI) and IC3.gov. For victim support, consider using the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative Helpline (1-844-878-2274, [email protected]) or, if a minor is involved, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-THE-LOST, [email protected]). If you live outside the US, consider contacting local police and your national cybercrime unit.

What is sextortion?

Sextortion is a type of blackmail during which somebody threatens to expose sexually explicit content (typically private pictures and videos) of a person unless that person does what they’re told. The term “sextortion” is a combination of words “sex” and “extortion” and describes a practice that has existed since Victorian times, when “18th-century criminals realised that the laws against sodomy could enable them to entrap men, and extort their money” [1]. 

These days, perpetrators of sextortion use online apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat, Discord, or Instagram to groom people into sharing nude or sexual images. Once victims send their private pictures or videos, “sextortionists” will record the content and use it to threaten their targets with public exposure unless they meet the blackmailer’s demands. 

How does sextortion happen?

Sextortion typically happens through popular social media platforms (such as Snapchat, Discord, Instagram, or WhatsApp). In these platforms, blackmailers engage in chatting and “innocent” flirting with unsuspecting impressionable users to coerce them into sharing explicit photos and videos. 

Sextortion can have many different faces and appear in various scenarios, with the most common including: 

• Fake personas. Online scammers can pose as a peer of the same age or an attractive person to build their target’s trust. They may use stolen or edited photos to make their fake identity more convincing.
• Catfishing. Sextortionists can pretend to have a romantic interest in the target to encourage them to send intimate photos or engage in explicit webcam activity. They may also bait the victim by sending a (often stolen or manipulated) nude photo first, enticing them to reciprocate.
• Secret recording. Sometimes, instead of chatting, the perpetrators coerce the target into a video call where they can manipulate the victim into sexual activity and secretly record it.
• Hacking. Tech-savvy scammers may hack into a victim's devices to steal private images or even remotely record them through the hacked webcam without the victim’s knowledge.
• Tricking victims with links. Scammers can send links to phishing sites designed to steal login information or download malware that gives them access to a victim's files and personal data. These links typically look like copies of legitimate website login pages yet often contain spelling errors, low quality images, or suspicious URLs. 
• Using artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake images. Some sextortionists may use AI-generated or digitally manipulated nude or sexual images to threaten victims. Due to AI’s ability to generate realistic high quality images, such tactics might affect even those who have never taken or shared nude or sexual images. 

Who are the victims of sextortion?

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), sextortion cases typically target minors, particularly boys aged 14–17 [2]. However, sextortion victims can range from kids under 13 to young adults (20 years old or more) and older. The data from the 2024 FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report also suggests that people aged 30–39 are the second most likely to experience sexual blackmail, with more than 9,000 reported cases in this age category alone [3].

Data also shows a particular correlation that suggests sextortionists might choose their victims based on their sexual orientation. According to the Thorn nonprofit organization, LGBTQ+ teens are twice as likely to experience sextortion compared to their non-LGBTQ counterparts [4]. Another troubling statistic is that 1 in 3 sextortion victims know their extortionists in real life as romantic partners, school peers, or even family acquaintances [5].

What are the most common platforms used for sextortion?

Sextortion can occur on any messaging platform. However, the perpetrators prefer using popular social media and webcam-based apps, such as Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, or Facebook [6]. In some cases, malicious actors may lurk in online games such as Roblox, which are popular among kids and teenage boys.

Blackmailers may also target dating platforms, such as Grindr or Tinder, because they’re full of users willing to engage in flirtatious and intimate conversations. Exploiting the nature of such apps allows scammers to commit romance fraud or sextortion.

It’s important to understand that no messaging platform is completely safe from cyber extortion. Perpetrators will use any available app, whether it’s Reddit, Omegle, Discord, or other platform that allows users to communicate via chat or video calls.

Sextortion cases

The number of sextortion cases has drastically increased during recent years. In 2024 alone, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received nearly 100 reports of financial sextortion per day [7]. Below you’ll find some of the most notable sextortion cases in recent years.

CONTENT WARNING: The text below may contain information about sensitive topics such as sextortion, child abuse, and self-harm, which may be disturbing to readers.

• The Evan Boettler case (2024). In 2024, a 16-year-old teenager from the US was contacted by a scammer pretending to be a girl. An unknown individual, posing as “Jenny,” convinced Boettler to share explicit images and then threatened to expose the pictures unless he paid the scammer. Just 90 minutes after the first message, Boettler took his own life. Although the perpetrators of this sextortion case have not been found, the investigation of this story led BBC’s journalists to Nigeria, where they discovered a meticulously organized sextortion operation, likely related to Boettler’s case. While tragic, this story helped shine a light on sextortionist networks in Africa, showcasing how dozens of scammers work in groups to blackmail teenage boys as their day job [8]. 
• The Gavin Guffey case (2022). Gavin Guffey tragically fell victim to sextortion in July 2022. Scammers contacted the 17-year-old, pretending to be a woman, and shared explicit images with the teenager, encouraging him to do the same. Once Guffey sent the pictures, the criminals threatened to release the images to the public unless the victim paid them, which led to Guffey taking his own life. Following his son’s death, Representative Brandon Guffey, Gavin’s dad, spearheaded legislation, later named “Gavin’s Law,” that declared sextortion a felony offense in the state of South Carolina [9]. In early 2025, the US Justice Department extradited a Nigerian national suspected of participating in this case to the United States, where he is awaiting prosecution [10].
• The fake YouTuber sextortion case (2020). In 2020, Australian police arrested 25-year-old Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed for suspected child sexual exploitation in a major sextortion case. The perpetrator posed as a YouTuber, contacting girls all around the world and engaging in conversations about sexual fantasies. He would then threaten to send the responses to friends and family unless they performed a series of escalating “degrading” sex acts [11]. In 2024, the scammer pleaded guilty to 119 charges relating to 286 people from 20 countries, which resulted in a 17-year jail sentence.

What are the dangers of sextortion?

The dangers of sextortion can range from financial damage to psychological trauma. However, those are not the only risks of this cyber threat. Sextortion can result in many different outcomes, including:

• Financial loss. Sextortion victims often give in to the financial demands of blackmailers, transferring them huge amounts of money. 
• Recurring threats. Even if the victim agrees to fulfill the extortionist's demands, it’s likely the perpetrator will continue to threaten their targets with increasing demands.
• Reputational damage. Sextortion blackmailers may sometimes release explicit content to the public even when the target meets their demands, causing reputational damage, particularly when the target is a well-known or highly respected individual.
• Physical safety risks. Some blackmailers may demand their victims commit acts that involve self harm or cause other danger to the victim's physical safety.
• Psychological and emotional harm. Blackmailers can use derogatory and shaming language, ask for sexual favors or the performance of undignifying acts, and apply scare tactics to achieve their goals. This type of cyberbullying can place psychological and emotional pressure on the victim, potentially leading to psychological trauma or even self harm.

What are the warning signs of sextortion?

Sextortion has warning signs that can help the target recognize the threat before blackmailers get a hold of private content. These signs may include:

• Unsolicited friend or follow requests. Unexpected friends and follow requests from profiles that have no mutual friends/followers is one of the ways blackmailers make first contact. Review these profiles carefully before engaging in conversation and avoid accepting invitations from suspicious profiles.
• A rapid push to switch platforms. Sextortionists often ask their victims to move the conversation to a secondary platform (for example, from Instagram to Snapchat). If your contact seems adamant about switching platforms as quickly as possible, it’s a good indication that something’s not right.
• Inconsistencies in communication. Sloppy blackmailers may reveal red flags such as resending the same videos, asking repeating questions, or getting your name wrong. 
• Unsolicited explicit content. Sextortion scammers are often the first to send explicit images and videos as an encouragement for the victim to do the same. If you receive such messages, don’t give in to the requests.
• Asking for pictures with your face. Sextortionists often ask their victims to take pictures (or record videos) from an angle that would make the victim easy to recognize. If you get asked to send content that would expose your face or other recognizable features (for example, tattoos), refuse and cut communication immediately.
• Insistent urges to go on “live” calls. Another tactic blackmailers may use is urging their victims into interacting via live webcam calls. Avoid people who persistently invite you to live calls, especially if they’re asking for explicit content.
• Emotional manipulation. In some cases, blackmailers may use tactics such as threatening to hurt themselves to get the victim to cooperate with their demands. Do not give in. 
• Inquiries about your personal information. Some sextortion scammers may engage in prolonged chatting to build trust and find the victim’s weak points. If you notice the person asking too many personal questions (particularly about your family and friends) keep your guard up.
• Offers of virtual currency or online game credits. Sextortion scammers may lurk in video game (such as Roblox) chatrooms. In such cases, they can offer victims in-game currency as means to grab attention or convince them to send explicit content.

Warning signs of extortion for parents and caregivers

The victims of sextortion often suffer alone because they’re threatened into silence, scared, or embarrassed to seek help. However, warning signs may help caregivers (family members, teachers, or legal guardians) spot a teenager that’s suffering from sextortion. These behavioral warning signs are:

• Sudden anxiety around devices. Because of blackmailer threats, sextortion victims might get anxious seeing their family and friends using social media or other apps. If your child suddenly starts checking your phone or getting distressed when you scroll through social media, it might be a sign they’re being threatened.
• Secrecy about online activity. Teenage boys and girls can be secretive about their private life online. However, if you catch a noticeable change in their online behavior (for example, deleted profile pictures or vague chat replies) it might be worth checking in with your child in person.  
• Unexplained requests for money or gift cards. Frequent money or gift card requests (especially for continuously increasing sums) are a dead giveaway that something’s up. 
• Social withdrawal. Sextortion scammers often threaten their victims to stay silent, which can lead to them becoming distant from friends and family. If you notice a sudden change in your child’s social behavior, take action.

What should you do if you get a sextortion email?

If you get a sextortion email or message, do not respond to threats or demands. However, don’t ignore the situation either. Depending on your circumstances, you have at least two ways to deal with sextortion scammers. 

What to do if you haven’t shared explicit content

If you suspect a sextortion attempt but haven’t yet shared explicit content with the perpetrators, you should immediately:

Cut contact with the scammer 

Ideally, it’s best to not engage with scammers, so upon noticing suspicious activity, it’s best to stop communicating with potential scammers either by blocking them or removing them from your contact list.

Report the account

If you have a strong suspicion you might be dealing with a sextortionist, you can report the account to the platform you’re communicating on. Most social media and messaging apps have dedicated abuse reporting channels and continue to introduce tools to combat sextortion. 

You can also consider reporting the scammers to law enforcement. However, it’s best to do so once you have actual proof of suspicious activity (for example, screenshots of threats).

What to do if you’ve shared explicit content

If you have shared explicit content and are now receiving threats from blackmailers, consider following these steps:

Don’t pay or negotiate 

Even if you’re being threatened, stop responding to the extorter. These scams often rely on pressure and fear to extract quick payments and scammers often return even if you comply with their demands.

Preserve evidence 

Screenshot the message threats, save emails and chat threads, and keep original email headers and any usernames or profile links of the perpetrator. 

Reach out for help 

Scammers often rely on their victims to stay silent. Regardless, it’s best to ask for help, either from relatives or other trustworthy people (for example, a school teacher). Additionally, victims over 18 can contact international agencies such as StopNCII (Stop Non Consensual Intimate Image Abuse). Initiatives like StopNCII help create a secure hash (a unique digital fingerprint that helps detect and block uploads) of your intimate images or videos so participating platforms can help remove explicit content. 

Contact NCMEC 

Victims that are under 18 can seek additional support from organizations such as NCMEC (the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) that offer help in taking down explicit content and providing emotional support. EU citizens can find help by checking Europol’s suggested channels, while UK, Australian, and Canadian citizens should contact the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), or the RCMP respectively. 

Contact law enforcement 

For US citizens, contact your local FBI field office, either via mobile (1-800-CALL-FBI) or online (fbi.gov) and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov). Meanwhile EU, Australia, and UK citizens should contact their local police offices. For Canadian residents, RCMP will offer primary assistance and provide the next steps to take. 

Report the scammer to the FTC 

If you’re from the US and experienced extortion via email or have become involved in other impersonation/scam tactics, consider reporting it to the FTC. Australian citizens can contact the eSafety Commissioner's office. Meanwhile, Canadians should reach out to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).

Use identity theft protection service

Finally, consider investing in identity theft protection services to mitigate the damage in case of future attacks. Identity protection services offer insurance in case of identity theft (provided the victim is a service customer during the time the attack occurs) and other cybercrime, including sextortion. 

Services such as NordProtect offer cyber extortion protection features that also cover sextortion cases. With NordProtect, victims are guaranteed cyber extortion insurance that includes a professional negotiator, coverage for eligible costs, and psychological counseling. Additionally, users receive extra benefits, such as dark web monitoring and credit monitoring. It’s a smart investment in your online safety that ensures professional help and damage mitigation in case you suffer cyber extortion or identity theft.

How to recover from sextortion

Dealing with the aftermath of any kind of extortion can be a long and exhausting process. To recover from sextortion, consider taking these steps:

• Contact content removal services. If you’ve shared explicit content with extortionists, chances are that your shared images and videos are floating around the internet. Consider contacting external content removal services (such as those offered by StopNCII or NCMEC) that can help you remove exposed content.
• Seek professional help and support. Sextortion is a crime that can cause huge emotional and psychological trauma. If you or someone you know has suffered from this cybercrime, consider (or gently suggest) talking to a mental health professional.  
• Take a break from social media. Sometimes taking a break from social media and messaging apps can help sextortion victims recover faster. Putting distance between yourself and communication platforms reduces the number of emotional triggers, minimizes the chances of scammers reappearing in your DMs (direct messages), and can help boost your overall mental health.
• Do not blame yourself. It’s typical for scam, extortion, and fraud victims to blame themselves for falling into cybercriminals’ trap. However, you shouldn’t blame yourself for something that can happen (and does happen) even to the most vigilant people. Thousands of individuals suffer from sextortion every day, and there’s no way to be completely secure or impervious to cyberattacks, scams, or fraud. Instead of blaming yourself, it’s best to focus on recovery (both mentally and financially), try to learn about and improve your personal cybersecurity, and invest in tools and services that can minimize the risk of future exposure as much as possible.

How to prevent sextortion

You can prevent sextortion by practicing vigilant behavior online. Some other tips on how to prevent sextortion:

• Be cautious with strangers online. Ignore or block messages from unknown people, especially those who’re asking for explicit content or your personally identifiable information (PII). Remember — anyone online can fake photos or personas, even if their pictures seem realistic enough. 
• Don’t share intimate images. Even if the person seems trustworthy, think twice before sharing intimate or explicit content. 
• Limit what you share. Avoid posting or DM’ing personal photos and videos until you’re sure the person is not pretending to be someone else. Keep in mind that scammers can save or copy everything you share. 
• Double down on privacy and security. Restrict who can message and tag you on social media platforms, review privacy settings regularly, use strong passwords, and turn on two‑factor authentication (2FA). 
• Verify the integrity of strangers. Watch for inconsistencies, ask for pictures, and do a reverse image search. Remember that even realistic-looking pictures can be generated using AI. 
• Don’t accept friend/follow requests from people you don’t know. That is the easiest way to avoid potential scammers. Be wary of profiles that seem too good to be true. 
• Practice safer video habits. Avoid exposing identifying backgrounds on camera, be careful with screen sharing, and remember live sessions can be recorded. 
• Keep devices and accounts secure. Update software, remove risky extensions or apps, and consider a SIM/carrier PIN to reduce account takeovers that can be leveraged for sextortion. 
• Educate and have discussions early. If you’re a caregiver, consider talking to your kids, especially teens and boys (since they’re heavily targeted). Assure them that they can ask for help if in trouble, and consider sharing additional resources (such as prevention measures and main help channels).
• Consider using an identity theft protection service. While it can’t prevent sextortion, subscribing to a trusted identity theft protection service can mitigate the damage and offer quick assistance in case you become a victim.
• Take initiative. If you’re a school teacher or other type of educator, consider taking time to talk to your students about the dangers of sextortion. Work with school resources officers to come up with lesson plans or get local counseling referrals that could help empower children to seek help when dealing with sextortion or cyberbullying. You don’t have to create an innovative educational program — providing simple means to deal with sextortion crimes can be the difference maker in saving a young person’s life.

For more cyber threat overviews and tips on protecting your personal information, check out the NordProtect blog.

References

[1] Independent, “Sexual Blackmail: a modern history by Angus McLaren,” The Independent, 2002. [Online]. Available: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/sexual-blackmail-a-modern-history-by-angus-mclaren-137475.html 

[2] Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Sextortion: a growing threat targeting minors,” FBI, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/nashville/news/sextortion-a-growing-threat-targeting-minors 

[3] Internet Crime Complaint Center, “Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Report 2024,” IC3, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf 

[4] G. De Guzman, “The state of sextortion in 2025,” Thorn, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.thorn.org/blog/the-state-of-sextortion-in-2025/ 

[5] Thorn, “Sextortion: What it is, How it Happens and Who’s at Risk,” Thorn, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.thorn.org/blog/the-growing-threat-of-sextortion/ 

[6] Thorn, “Trends in Financial Sextortion: An investigation of sextortion reports in NCMEC CyberTipline data - Thorn,” Thorn, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.thorn.org/research/library/financial-sextortion/ 

[7] National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, “NCMEC releases new data: 2024 in numbers,” NCMEC, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2025/ncmec-releases-new-data-2024-in-numbers 

[8] T. Dhondy, “BBC tracks down sextortion scammer targeting teenage boys,” BBC, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrpedexleno 

[9] F. Karimi, “He lost his son to suicide after a ‘sextortion’ scam. Now this lawmaker is fighting to save other teens,” CNN, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/13/us/brandon-guffey-gavin-sextortion-law-cec

[10] M. Alsharif, A. Mullen, “Nigerian man accused of extorting South Carolina teen who died,” NBC News, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nigerian-man-extradited-us-alleged-sextortion-south-carolina-teen-died-rcna189475 

[11] T. Turnbull, “Man posing as YouTube star jailed for global sextortion plot,” BBC, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp35z4z08qvo 

[12] Internet Watch Foundation, “Child sexual extortion cases in the UK soar with warnings ‘ruthless’ criminals are still putting children and young people at risk,” IWF, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.iwf.org.uk/news-media/news/child-sexual-extortion-cases-in-the-uk-soar-with-warnings-ruthless-criminals-are-still-putting-children-and-young-people-at-risk/