What is Sextortion?

About Sextortion

Sextortion is a type of blackmail where a person receives threats that someone will release sexual photographs, videos or other sexual content or information, usually online, unless they pay money or do something they don’t want to do. It is a type of sexual abuse. Sextortion comes from the word extortion, where criminals use threats or force to get something they want or force someone to do something.

Sextortion usually occurs in one of three ways:

1. Someone pretends to be romantically interested in you, builds trust and then convinces you to share intimate material.
2. Someone gains access to your private photos, emails, webcam or accounts and then uses the material they find to extort you.
3. Someone uses AI-generated explicit images or videos (deepfakes), then pretends they are real and threatens to share them.

The perpetrator may be a stranger who uses a fake identity to get close to the potential victim or it may be someone they know. They may use manipulation, coercion or threats to get the victim to send them sexual photos or videos or they may use screen recordings to record a video of the victim without them knowing or consenting (for example, if the victim is on a video chat).

The perpetrator may then threaten to release the intimate photos and videos unless the victim pays them money, sends more intimate pictures or videos or does something else they don’t want to do. Recently, there has been a significant increase in sextortion perpetrators demanding payment through cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin. This is because cryptocurrency is very difficult to trace, making it easier for criminals to get away with sextortion. In some cases, the perpetrator may be part of an organised crime group based in a foreign country. They may be targeting many victims at the same time as a way to make money quickly.

With the constantly increasing advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), it is also important to be aware that sexual photographs and videos are not always real. Even if you have never shared sexual images or videos with someone else, criminals may have made fake images or videos or edited your face onto an existing sexual photograph.

There are many ways that criminals may attempt to target someone, including:

• Dating apps and websites
• Social media, such as Instagram, Facebook or TikTok
• Messaging apps, such as Snapchat or WhatsApp
• Webcams
• Email
• Online gaming sites
• Pornography sites

Sextortion is never the fault of the victim and is always the fault of the perpetrator. Victims of sextortion should never feel like they are to blame or feel guilty or ashamed about what has happened to them.

Sextortion is different to revenge porn, which is when someone shares or threatens to share private photos or videos of you without your permission. Revenge porn, although also very harmful to the victim, does not involve the threat of blackmail. Although revenge porn and sextortion are different, they are both crimes in the UK. 

The Impact of Sextortion

Sextortion can have serious consequences for the victim. These consequences can be emotional, psychological, social and financial. One of the most immediate impacts of being sextorted is emotional distress. Many victims feel shame, guilt or fear, even though they are not to blame and have been manipulated or coerced. They may feel constant fear and anxiety about whether the explicit content will be shared or who might see it and this can affect their sleep and day-to-day life. If intimate images are released, the victim may feel extreme shame and embarrassment, particularly if they fear that members of their family or their friends, colleagues or teachers have seen private pictures or videos of them.

Psychologically, the toll can be significant and it’s not uncommon for victims of sextortion to experience depression or attacks. The experience can be so traumatic for some victims that they experience suicidal thoughts. There have been documented cases in the UK and around the world where victims of sextortion have taken their own lives, which highlights the seriousness of sextortion.

Sextortion can also severely damage the victim’s relationships with others. Victims often isolate themselves, as they are worried that friends, family or coworkers might find out what is happening or see the pictures or videos. Even if nothing is ever leaked, the fear of being judged or misunderstood can push people away from their support systems. If content is shared, the damage to a person’s reputation can be lasting, especially in small communities or professional environments where privacy or professionalism is valued.

There can also be financial consequences when someone is being sextorted. Usually, the blackmailer has high financial demands and if the victim gives in to demands for money because they are desperate for the threats to go away, this can have a huge financial impact on them. However, giving in to blackmail rarely works.

Once a scammer knows someone is willing to pay, they often come back demanding more money, which can turn into a cycle of exploitation. There is also a risk of identity theft or criminals getting access to the account the victim pays them from, which can result in the victim losing even more money.

In the long term, the victim can continue to feel the effects of being sextorted months or years after the incident. Some people develop serious trust issues, especially when it comes to online communication or forming new relationships. Others may avoid technology altogether out of fear that it could happen again. In some cases, the trauma is similar to that of someone who has experienced other forms of abuse and some victims may even develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

It is important that the victim is aware that the sextortion is not their fault and that they are not to blame. Talking to someone, whether a trusted friend or family member, a therapist or a support line, can make a huge difference in the way someone is feeling. There are also organisations and authorities who are trained to handle cases of sextortion and can offer both emotional support and practical advice.

What are the Warning Signs of Sextortion?

Sextortion can happen quickly, with little warning, or it can happen slowly over time. Some signs that you may be a target of sextortion include:

• Being contacted or added by someone you don’t know and the conversation quickly becomes flirty or romantic.
• Someone you don’t know well asking you personal questions or sexual questions very early on.
• Speaking to a friend or acquaintance online but something about the communication feels different (their account may have been hacked).
• Someone you only recently met or started speaking to trying to engage you in sexual conversations.
• If an online profile seems fake (i.e., no mutual connections, few posts, overly-polished pictures).
• Something about the language feeling ‘off’, for example, if they claim to be local but their grammar is wrong, they write in American English or their responses feel too scripted.
• Speaking to someone new online and they quickly try to move the conversation to a different platform (such as Snapchat or WhatsApp).
• Being asked not to tell anyone about the conversation (particularly if you are a minor).
• Feeling pressured into sending intimate images or videos or to talk on video chat to someone whilst naked or semi-naked.
• Someone asking you to turn your camera on very quickly in the conversation.
• Recognising these signs early can help stop the situation before it escalates.
• Recognising these signs early can help stop the situation before it escalates.

Recognising these signs early can help stop the situation before it escalates. Unfortunately, many victims don’t even realise they are being targeted until it is too late. They may think they are talking to a new friend or potential partner or think they have been contacted by someone they already know. It could also be that a victim is contacted out of the blue with threats, but they have never sent intimate images or videos to anyone.

Signs that sexploitation is happening right now include:

• Someone threatening to release intimate photos or videos of you.
• Someone having AI-generated/ fake intimate images and videos of you.
• Someone telling you that your photos, emails, cloud storage, contacts, laptop or mobile device has been hacked (this may or may not be true).
• Someone demanding that you send them money, pay them cryptocurrency or make a financial payment in a different way or they will share pictures and videos of you.

Where to Report Sextortion

If you think you might be a victim of sextortion, it is important to stop communicating with the potential perpetrator immediately. Criminals often cannot be reasoned with and it might be better if they don’t suspect that you are aware of what is happening.

If the perpetrator is demanding payment, you should never pay as this does not always mean they will delete the photos and videos and they may just demand more money later. It is also important not to delete any messages, voice notes, photos, videos or any other communication between you and the perpetrator. Save any evidence (such as screenshots, usernames and messages) and then report the sextortion. If the person threatening you has also shared intimate images and you are 100% sure they are over the age of 18, you could also screenshot the image to help the police identify them.

It is important to report the blackmail as quickly as you can, but even if some time has passed, you should still report the sextortion. Because sextortion is illegal, it is recommended that you report the crime to the police.

If you know you are a victim of sextortion or suspect that someone is trying to target you, there are multiple ways to report the crime, including:

• Online: You can make an online report to report sextortion. Add as many details as you can to the report and the police will contact you either by phone, email or by visiting you in person.
• Call 101: Non-urgent cases of sextortion can be reported by calling 101. This service is available 24/7 in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Visit a police station: If you would prefer to speak to someone in person, you can visit your local police station. The police officers can arrange a private space where you feel comfortable to make your report.

If it is an emergency and you think you might be in danger or someone is being violent or threatening to be violent, call 999 and ask for the police.

If you are under the age of 18 or you are reporting on behalf of a minor, you can also make a report to the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Safety Centre. You can make a report if you are worried about how someone has been talking to you online or if you think you have been a victim of online sexual abuse or exploitation.

When reporting sexploitation to the police, it can be helpful to provide additional information. However, even if you don’t have this information prepared, you should still make a report so the police can begin their investigation.

Information that can be helpful to the police includes:

• The perpetrator’s name (even if you are not sure if it is real).
• Any contact details you have.
• Their username (if you have spoken to them online).
• Bank account details (if they sent them to you as part of the extortion).
• Information about any platforms, apps, social media websites or other places you have spoken to the perpetrator.
• Information about what was said and any threats that were made.
• Information about when the sextortion happened (if you can create a timeline, this can be helpful).
• Information about any sexual photos or videos the perpetrator may have of you.

If the sextortion, any part of the conversation or your initial contact with the perpetrator took place on social media, such as Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, or on a dating app or site, such as Tinder, Bumble or Grindr, you should also make a report to the company. If the person you are reporting has violated the site’s terms of use, they may be removed from the platform and receive a permanent ban.

If intimate photos or videos of you (or someone else) have been shared on social media, this will go against the site’s guidelines and you can request to have them removed. If you are finding it difficult to have them removed, there are organisations that can help you with this, including Report Harmful Content and StopNCII. If the content involves someone under the age of 18, Childline can help get it removed.

How Common is Sextortion

Sextortion is much more common than many people realise. Although anyone can be a victim of sextortion, it is most common in people under the age of 30. Worryingly, young people between the ages of 14-18 are at particular risk of sextortion. In 2023/2024, Childline provided more than 900 counselling sessions to children and young people who were the victims of sextortion.

There has been a significant increase in sextortion cases in the UK, particularly targeting teenagers and young adults. However, because of the shame and embarrassment that many victims experience, it is thought that there are thousands of cases every year that go unreported. Because of the growing threat of sextortion, the National Crime Agency (NCA) issued an alert to educators across the UK, such as teachers, to warn them about the risks of sextortion and how to spot the signs of blackmail.

Although sextortion can happen to people of all genders, in 2023, 91% of the cases involving minors that were reported to the UK’s Internet Watch Foundation involved young male victims. However, it is thought that while male victims are more typically blackmailed for money, female victims are more typically blackmailed into sending more intimate images and videos and are more likely to be victims of online grooming and revenge porn.

There are many reasons why sextortion is becoming more and more common, including:

• The popularity of social media, dating apps and gaming platforms makes it easy for scammers to connect with targets, especially young people.
• The increase in how popular and effective AI tools are and the rise in deepfakes and fake accounts help scammers make fake images and videos seem more real.
• It is becoming easier to hide money transfers (e.g., if the blackmailer requests cryptocurrency or money cards).
• Many victims don’t report being sextorted, meaning the criminals get away with blackmail and can target another victim.

Even though sextortion is underreported, experts and law enforcement agree that it is a serious and growing threat, especially for teenagers and young adults. =

How to Avoid Sextortion

It can be difficult to avoid sextortion as criminals are often well practised and it can be very difficult to recognise when it is happening. Many criminals who try to exploit someone with extortion often do this online. Avoiding sextortion starts with being aware of how extortionists operate and taking steps to protect yourself online.

One of the most effective ways to avoid sextortion is to be cautious when someone new connects with you on social media or messaging apps. If they seem too flirty, overly eager or a bit too perfect, it is okay to be sceptical and to choose not to trust them. Scammers often pretend to be someone attractive or trustworthy to gain your trust quickly.

Some warning signs to look out for include:

• Someone you only recently met asking you for sexual images or initiating sexual conversations.
• Someone online trying to quickly start a relationship with you or ‘love bombing’ you.
• Sending a lot of friend requests to other people or recently gaining a lot of new online friends or online connections.
• Repeatedly been asked to do something sexual even if you have made it clear you are not comfortable with it.
• Someone telling you they have hacked your social media, email or cloud account or they have access to your contacts.

Protecting your privacy is important and can help to prevent you from being targeted. Keep your social media accounts private and avoid sharing personal details, such as where you go to school, your location or information about your family. Blackmailers can use even small bits of information to manipulate you or make their threats feel more real. It’s also a good idea to use strong passwords and turn on two-factor authentication so it is difficult to hack any of your accounts.

Another way to stay safe is to think carefully before you share anything intimate online. If you’ve never met someone in real life, don’t send them intimate pictures, even if they seem trustworthy or you feel like you’ve got a connection with them. If someone is trying to pressure you to send pictures or videos, this should be a huge red flag. If you are not comfortable doing so or do not fully trust someone, do not share sexual images or information about yourself with anyone. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or you are unsure about their intentions, stop engaging with them immediately.

A lot of sextortion incidents come from fake profiles, so it can be helpful to know how to recognise the signs of a fake profile. The account may only have a few photos or overly perfect pictures and the conversation may feel scripted or too polished. If you ever get a weird feeling, listen to it. If you are suspicious, you can even try and reverse image search the profile picture to see if it has been stolen from somewhere else.

Open communication can also be key. Whether you’re a teenager, a parent or just someone who wants to stay informed, having honest, embarrassment-free conversations about online safety can help protect you from sextortion. If something ever happens, talk to someone you trust and this can make it easier to get help quickly.