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Lesson 1 of 12 · 6 min · +100 XP

What is sextortion and what should you do?

Sextortion is a crime where someone threatens to share intimate images of a young person unless they pay or send more. It often starts with a fake profile, fast flirting and a move to another app. If it happens: stop replying, don't pay, save evidence, tell a trusted adult and report it. It is never your fault.

▶ Try it

Why it matters

Criminals pretend to be someone your age, build trust fast, then blackmail with images. If you know the pattern you can stop it early, and if it's already happened you'll know exactly what to do.

In 6 minutes you'll be able to

  • Fake profiles, fast flirting, switching apps and time pressure are red flags.
  • Never pay. Stop replying, save evidence, tell someone, report.
  • It's not your fault and you won't get in trouble. Help is there, confidentially.

What you'll practise

  1. Chat check

    A new profile messages you. For each message, decide: okay or red flag? The sooner you spot the pattern, the better.

    ellie.sunny_16 · new message request

    1. Monday, 21:40
    2. hey 👋 you came up in my suggestions, we've got 3 mutuals (Okay)
      New requests through mutual friends are normal. But mutuals don't prove a profile is real.
    3. my account's new, deleted my old one cos of drama (Warning sign: Fake profile)
      A new profile with hardly any posts is typical of fake accounts. The quick excuse is meant to stop you having doubts.
    4. what music are you into? (Okay)
      A completely normal getting-to-know-you question.
    5. ok ngl you're really fit 😍 i never say stuff like this (Warning sign: Fast flirting)
      Big compliments after a few minutes are a typical trick. They're meant to sweep you along before you think.
    6. Tuesday, 22:15
    7. let's chat on another app, it's more private there 🔒 (Warning sign: Switching apps)
      Moving to a private chat is meant to get around reporting tools. Stay where you are or end the contact.
    8. i feel so close to you already, like we've known each other forever (Warning sign: Instant closeness)
      Real closeness takes time. Someone talking like this after two days is trying to force trust.
    9. how was your day? (Okay)
      Harmless on its own. But together with the rest, a pattern appears.
    10. just trust me. but right now, or i'm gone 😏 (Warning sign: Pressure & rush)
      Time pressure plus “trust me”: this is the moment to end the chat. Don't send anything, take screenshots, tell someone.

  2. Myth or fact?

    Offenders rely on shame and panic. Flip the cards and see what's actually true.

    💸 “If I pay, they'll delete it.”
    Almost never. Pay once and you usually get new demands. Paying doesn't end the blackmail.
    😔 “It's my own fault for replying.”
    No. Often organised gangs are behind it, deceiving people on purpose. The blame is theirs alone.
    🚔 “If I tell anyone, I'll get into trouble.”
    No. If you're being blackmailed, you're the victim of a crime. Police and helplines are there to help you, not to punish you.
    🌐 “It's too late, it's online now.”
    There is help. Free services help under-18s get images like this removed, and platforms have to act on reports.

  3. The five steps

    Someone is threatening to share an image unless they get paid. Put the five steps in the right order.

    1. Stop replying and don't negotiate
    2. Don't pay, not even “just once”
    3. Save evidence: screenshots of the chat, profile name and demands
    4. Tell an adult you trust
    5. Report it to the platform and the police, and ask for the image to be removed

  4. What you can do

    You don't have to get through this alone. The shame belongs to the offender, not you.

    🛑 Stop
    Stop replying, don't pay. Don't delete the chat: take screenshots first, then block.
    🧹 Get it removed
    Report Remove (Childline and the IWF, UK) and Take It Down (NCMEC, US) help under-18s get nude images taken down, confidentially.
    🚔 Report it
    Sextortion is a crime. Report it to the police, CEOP (UK) or the FBI and NCMEC's CyberTipline (US). In an emergency, call 999 or 911.
    💜 Talking helps
    Feeling really low? Talk to someone now. UK: Childline, 0800 1111, free and confidential. US: call or text 988.

Remember

Never pay, and never face it alone. The shame belongs to the offender.

The shame belongs to the offender. Help is out there.

Key facts

  • The US National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 26,718 reports of financial sextortion in 2023, up from 10,731 in 2022. · Source: NCMEC, sextortion data release, April 2024
  • UK police warn that a large proportion of financially motivated sextortion cases involve boys aged 14 to 18, usually targeted by organised crime groups based overseas. · Source: National Crime Agency (UK), alert to education professionals, April 2024
  • 91% of the UK sextortion victims in cases handled by the Internet Watch Foundation in 2023 were male. · Source: Internet Watch Foundation, 2023 data, cited by the National Crime Agency, April 2024
  • Police advice is clear: don't pay, stop contact and block, but don't delete the messages, because they are evidence. · Source: National Crime Agency (UK), April 2024

Updated:

Questions people ask

Should you pay a sextortion scammer?

No. Paying rarely makes the threats stop and often leads to more demands. Stop replying, save evidence, block and report it.

Will I get in trouble if I sent a picture and am now being blackmailed?

No. If you're being blackmailed, you are the victim of a crime. Police, helplines and trusted adults are there to help you and stop the offender, not to punish you.

How do sextortion scams usually start?

Often with a friendly or flirty new profile pretending to be someone your age, fast compliments and a quick move to a private app. Then comes pressure to share images, followed by threats.

Can a nude image of a teenager be removed from the internet?

Yes, often. In the UK, Report Remove from Childline and the IWF helps under-18s, and in the US, NCMEC's Take It Down service helps platforms find and remove the images.

Related terms