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Sextortion

Sextortion scams are a type of blackmail when someone threatens to share a nude image or sexually explicit video of you online, unless you pay them or provide more sexual content. The impact of sexual extortion can range from mild embarrassment and a sense of humiliation to extreme emotional harm.

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Last Updated12/08/2024

How does sextortion work?

Scammers create fake profiles on social media and try to convince you to share explicit or nude images or videos. Sometimes the scammers have fake footage or images which they claim is you.

Once they have your content (or fake content) they start making threats. They might say they’ll post the content online or send it to your friends unless you give them money or share more explicit stuff with them.

Sextortion is a serious global issue and blackmailers can be located anywhere around the world. They may be individuals working alone, but there are also highly organised criminal groups profiting from sextortion.

If you think you’ve been the target of a sextortion scam you can contact Netsafe for advice and guidance. Our helpline is free, confidential and available 7 days a week.

Report online Click to fill out an online reporting form: https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/newEmail [email protected] Click to email a report to Netsafe: help@netsafe.org.nzText 'Netsafe' to 4282 Click to text a report to Netsafe on 4282Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends Click to phone the Netsafe helpline on 0508 638 723New Zealanders overseas can call +64 9 666 0840 Click to phone the Netsafe helpline on 0508 638 723

How did they trick me?

The scammers use attractive images in their fake profiles, usually of young people. They often pretend to be in a relationship with you online and work to gain your trust. Sometimes, the scammer even shares explicit content to pressure you into doing the same. It’s important to know that usually the scammers didn’t create the content themselves; they got it from somewhere else.

These scammers are professional criminals. They use different fake social media accounts and target lots of people at the same time, and sometimes they manage to hack into accounts to obtain your content. Sometimes they even pretend to be someone you know or a friend of a friend to encourage you to trust them.

Since 2019, Netsafe has experienced an 88% increase in sextortion reports.

How can I prevent this from happening to me?

It can be risky to communicate with strangers online. Still, we understand that sometimes someone can appear to be a friend, or you can get caught up in the moment.

Trust your instincts

If someone’s requests or actions make you feel uncomfortable, it’s important to listen to your gut.

Set boundaries

Put your well-being first and establish appropriate boundaries in your online communication. Remember that it’s okay to say no and to protect your personal information and privacy. If you’re unsure about something, reach out to a trusted adult or friend for support.

If you are communicating with someone you don't know IRL/offline, these are warning signs to look out for:

  • Excessive friendliness: If someone you meet online becomes overly friendly right away and bombards you with compliments, it’s a reason to be cautious. This behaviour, known as “love bombing,” can be a red flag.
  • Online-only relationship: Remind yourself that unless you’ve met the person in real life, it’s impossible to know their true intentions or identity. Be careful of trusting someone if you haven’t had that offline connection to verify who they are.
  • Pre-recorded content: Scammers can use pre-recorded content to make it seem like they’re interacting with you live. Stay aware that things may not be as they seem.

Supporting someone targeted with a sextortion scam

When an intimate image or video of a person is shared or threatened to be shared without their consent, it can have extremely harmful effects. The individual targeted may experience emotions such as betrayal, fear, anger, or humiliation. These feelings can be intensified if they were deceived into sharing nude or sexual content and they are concerned about potential consequences from their whānau or school.

It is crucial to recognize and affirm that the affected person is not at fault in these situations. The scammers are professional criminals and possess a high level of expertise in manipulating individuals and establishing rapid trust. Young people in particular, may lack the experience to identify red flags, but it is important to note that many adults also become victims of this scam.

We recommend that you do not panic and work together with the affected person focusing on a solution. We regularly support individuals and families through these experiences. You can get through this.

As this type of scam can cause significant harm, we recommend you check in with the affected person to assess if they require further support. In case of emergency, call 111 immediately. In non-emergency situations, you or the affected person can contact one of several helplines for free, confidential support (see list at bottom of page).

Solutions and support

If your intimate content has been shared or a scammer is messaging your contacts, there are some important steps you can take:

The most important thing is not to give in to the blackmailer’s demands or share more pictures or videos. If you do, they are more likely to continue asking for more money or content. If you have already given them money – do not give them more. Even if you have given money, the remaining tips can still help.

If possible, take screenshots of the threats, but don’t take pictures of the private images or videos. Note down the blackmailer’s account name and where this is happening online.

It might be helpful to write a message for your friends and family, letting them know that someone is trying to scam you (you don’t have to go into detail about what has happened) and ask them not to accept message requests from unknown accounts online.

Report to the social media platform (e.g. Instagram, Snapchat, PornHub) where the scammer contacted you. Give them all the information you can. If your content is shared we also recommend you report to the platform.

Stop talking to the blackmailer and block them on all platforms.

The scammer will focus on the people they believe will most likely pay them or send more content. The scammer will ‘drop’ others very quickly who block the scammer and refuse to contact them, so it is very important that all contact from them is blocked immediately.

Ensure all your social media accounts are as private as possible or deactivate them temporarily.

Ask someone you trust to help by keeping an eye on social media activity for you. This can help keep you informed and give you a break from social media if you need it.

If you are under 18, and if you have copies of the private images or videos the blackmailer is threatening you with, you can use a free tool called Take It Down.

Take It Down creates a special code or digital fingerprint from the pictures or videos, and it shares that code with online platforms that may help to find and remove them from being shared online. The tool can also be used for synthetic images (deep fakes), which deals with it in the same way as genuine content.

If you are 18 or older you can use StopNCII.

StopNCII will generate a digital fingerprint, called a hash, of the images/videos on your device. STOPNCII shares the hash with Industry Partners so they can try to help detect and remove the images/videos from being shared online. StopNCII.org also accepts synthetic images (deep fakes) and deals with them in the same way as genuine content. 

You can make a report to Police by calling 105. If you are at immediate risk please call Police on 111.

When someone shares or threatens to share intimate images or videos of you without your consent, it can be harmful. It is normal to feel betrayed, scared, angry, or humiliated.

If you were tricked into sharing those private images or videos, you might also feel ashamed or embarrassed, especially if you are worried about what your family or school might think.

If you've experienced a sextortion scam it is important to know that it is not your fault.

These scammers are experts at manipulating and tricking people, and even adults can fall victim to them.

Don’t panic. Work together with someone you trust to find a solution and support you through this.

Contact Netsafe

If you are concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or someone else, call 111 immediately.

If you're experiencing online abuse, fallen victim to a scam, or need some advice about another online issue, Netsafe is here to support you.

Our helpline is free, confidential and non-judgmental - providing expert advice and assistance seven days a week.

Report online Click to fill out an online reporting form: https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/newEmail [email protected] Click to email a report to Netsafe: help@netsafe.org.nzText 'Netsafe' to 4282 Click to text a report to Netsafe on 4282Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends Click to phone the Netsafe helpline on 0508 638 723New Zealanders overseas can call +64 9 666 0840 Click to phone the Netsafe helpline on 0508 638 723

How can Netsafe help?

We can offer support, including guiding you through any steps you may be able to take if you’ve been caught up in a sextortion scam, and advice on how to stay safe in future.

We may also be able to help with reporting profiles and content to the online platforms.

Further support

We understand your experience may be distressing and encourage you to talk to someone you trust or reach out for further support. You can contact the following helplines for free, confidential support:

Lifeline: 0800 543 354 Youthline: 0800 376 633 Tautoko suicide crisis helpline: 0508 828 865 Need to Talk: Text or call 1737

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Image-based abuse

Information and advice on image-based abuse and how to get help if you're experiencing this harassment online.

Sexting and nudes

What is sexting and what can you do if your image has been shared.

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)

Understanding CSAM and what you can do if you discover it online.

Grooming

Guidance to identify and combat online child grooming and how to safeguard on social media and at home.