Sextortion Scams: What Teens Should Do If Someone Threatens You

Sextortion is a form of blackmail. Someone gets, or claims to have, a private photo or video of you and threatens to share it unless you pay money, send more images or do what they say. It can happen on any app where strangers can message you, including social media, gaming chats and dating-style apps. It is a crime, and the person at fault is the one making the threat, never the target.

How the trap usually works

Scammers often follow a similar pattern. Knowing it makes it easier to spot early.

1. A friendly or flirty contact appears. A new account follows or messages you, often with attractive photos and a story that seems to match your interests.
2. The chat moves somewhere more private. They ask you to switch to another app, where fewer people can see what is going on.
3. Trust is built fast. They compliment you, share "secrets" and push the conversation to feel close very quickly.
4. An image is requested or traded. Sometimes the scammer sends a fake picture first to make you feel safe. Sometimes they claim they already have something of yours, even when they do not.
5. The threats begin. They demand money, gift cards, crypto or more images, and set a countdown to make you panic.

Red flags to watch for

• A stranger who becomes very intimate very quickly.
• Pressure to leave the original app or to turn on a camera.
• A profile with few posts, a recent start date or details that do not add up.
• Any request for private pictures from someone you have never met in person.
• Threats combined with deadlines, such as "pay in 10 minutes or everyone will see this".

If someone is threatening you: first steps

• Stop replying. Do not argue, bargain or send anything else. Continued contact usually leads to more demands.
• Do not pay. Paying rarely ends it. Scammers often come back asking for more.
• Save the evidence. Take screenshots of the messages, the username, the profile link and any payment requests. Do this before you block, because the account may disappear.
• Block and report. Use the app's report tool on the account and on the specific messages.
• Tell a trusted adult. This might be a parent, carer, teacher, school counsellor or older relative. Telling someone is the biggest step toward ending the pressure.
• Contact the police or a child-protection hotline. They can take reports and advise on next steps in your country.

Getting images removed

If you are under 18 and an intimate image of you has been shared, or you fear it will be, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children offers a free tool called Take It Down at takeitdown.ncmec.org. It is designed to help remove or stop the spread of such images from participating platforms without you having to send the image itself. Many social apps also have their own reporting routes for non-consensual intimate images, so report there too.

Lower your risk before anything happens

• Set your accounts to private and limit who can message you or add you.
• Only accept followers and friend requests from people you know in real life.
• Be careful about video calls with new contacts. Screen recording is easy.
• Remember that a photo sent privately can still be saved and shared.
• Agree with someone you trust that you can tell them about any weird or scary message without being punished.

For parents and carers

If your teen comes to you, stay calm. Thank them for telling you, and make it clear they are not in trouble. Shame is the scammer's main weapon, and a supportive reaction takes that away. Help them gather evidence, report the account and contact the authorities together.

Where to learn more: videos and reports

For videos, look at the official YouTube channels of organisations such as NCMEC (NetSmartz), Internet Matters and your national cybersecurity agency, for example the UK's National Cyber Security Centre. Video links change often, so searching "sextortion teens" on those channels is safer than trusting a random upload. For reports and PDF guides, check the resources or research sections of ncmec.org, internetmatters.org and ncsc.gov.uk, and download only from those official sites.

The key takeaway

Sextortion works by making you feel alone and ashamed. You are not alone, and this is not your fault. Stop, save the evidence, report and tell someone you trust. Help is available, and acting quickly gives you the best chance of staying in control.