What is sextortion?
Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where a criminal threatens to share intimate images or videos of a victim unless they pay money or provide more images. The images may be real, stolen, or AI-generated.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Sextortion follows two main patterns. In the first, a scammer builds an online relationship and persuades the victim to share intimate images. They then immediately threaten to send those images to the victim's contacts unless a payment is made. In the second pattern, criminals claim to have hacked the victim's webcam or device and demand payment to stay silent — usually a bluff backed up by a genuine leaked password from old data breaches to add credibility.
A rapidly growing variant targets teenagers and young men through fake dating profiles. A 'match' on a social platform quickly escalates to exchanging explicit images. Within minutes the scammer reveals their extortion demand. These campaigns can be industrialised, running hundreds of targets simultaneously.
AI tools have added a new dimension: deepfake sextortion, where criminals use publicly available photos to fabricate explicit images and then threaten the victim. No real intimate image needs to exist for the threat to feel devastating.
Critically, paying rarely ends the problem — it signals willingness to pay again. The best response is to stop contact, preserve evidence, and report to authorities. Most platforms have emergency image removal tools and victim support pathways.
Common red flags
- A new online contact pushes quickly toward exchanging intimate images
- You receive a message claiming someone has hacked your webcam with a password you recognise
- After sharing an image, the sender immediately pivots to demanding payment
- The demand is for gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer rather than traceable payment
- Threats to expose you to your employer, family, or school friends
- Pressure to respond within hours or minutes to create panic
What to do now
- Do not pay — payment confirms you are a viable target and rarely ends the extortion
- Stop responding to the scammer immediately
- Screenshot all messages before blocking
- Report to the platform where contact occurred — most have emergency tools for removing content
- File a report with local police and the national cybercrime authority
- Contact the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative or a similar victim support organisation for guidance
- Tell a trusted adult if you are a minor — this is especially important for teen victims
Frequently asked questions
What if the scammer actually has one of my images?
Report to the platform and use tools like StopNCII.org to create a hash of any image to prevent its spread across participating platforms. File a police report. In many countries, non-consensual sharing of intimate images is a criminal offence.
Are webcam hack threats usually real?
The vast majority are bluffs. Scammers purchase leaked password lists and include a real password to make the threat feel credible. If you have not engaged in any activity on the device they claim to have recorded, it is almost certainly a bluff. Change the displayed password as a precaution.