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Sextortion: what to do if someone threatens to share your photos

Do not pay and stop replying. The FBI warns that blackmailers often share images even after they are paid, and NCMEC says paying rarely stops it. Keep the evidence, report the account to the app and to police (cybercrime.gov.in in India, the FBI in the US), use StopNCII.org or Take It Down to help stop the images spreading, and remember this is not your fault.
A phone lying face up on a white desk beside an open notebook and three small potted plants
Photo: Ylanite on Pixabay

If someone threatens to share your photos

Tap each one as you check it.

How sextortion usually happens

It often starts with a friendly stranger on social media, a game or a dating app, frequently using a fake account. They move to video chat or ask for a photo, record or keep it, then threaten to send it to your family and friends unless you pay or send more. The FBI says they demand money, gift cards or payments through payment apps.

In India, a common version is a video call from an unknown number, followed by a second caller posing as police. In one Delhi case in 2025, a man paid about ₹14 lakh after he was told he faced arrest.

Example. Names and numbers are made up.

Why paying does not make it stop

In a 2023 public safety alert, the FBI said that in many cases blackmailers share the images even after victims pay or send more. NCMEC's advice is that cooperating or paying rarely stops the blackmail. A payment tells them you will pay again.

What they say

  • “Pay and I will delete it”
  • “The police will arrest you”
  • “No one can help you”
  • “You have one hour”

What is true

  • Paying rarely ends it, and there is no way to check a deletion
  • You are the victim of a crime, and you can report it
  • Apps, takedown tools and police can all help
  • The deadline is pressure. Take the time to get help

What to do right now

  1. Stop replying. Do not argue, plead or negotiate.
  2. Do not pay, and do not send anything more.
  3. Take screenshots of the account, the username or number, the messages and any payment details they sent.
  4. Block them, but do not delete your messages or your account. NCMEC says these help investigators.
  5. Report the account in the app, using its report or safety option.
  6. Tell someone you trust. You do not have to handle this alone.

Getting images taken down

Two free tools help stop intimate images being posted on participating platforms. Your phone makes a digital fingerprint of the image, only the fingerprint is shared, and the image itself stays on your device.

  • StopNCII.org: if you were 18 or over when the image was taken and you still have it.
  • Take It Down: if the image was taken when you were under 18. You can stay anonymous.

Reporting it in India and the US

India: report at cybercrime.gov.in. The portal has a separate section for crimes against women and children, which covers sexually explicit content, and an option for other cybercrimes. If you have already paid, call 1930 quickly.

The I4C has said police and agencies do not arrest people on video calls, so a “police” caller asking for money is part of the scam.

US: report to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI. If the person targeted is under 18, also report to NCMEC's CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST.

For teens and parents

NCMEC received more than 50,000 reports of financial sextortion in 2025, about 137 a day, up from more than 36,000 in 2024. In 2022 the FBI counted at least 3,000 minor victims, mainly boys, and said shame and fear stop many from asking for help.

If you are a teen: you are not in trouble, and the person threatening you is to blame. Tell a parent, teacher or another adult today. Parents: stay calm, thank them for telling you, do not delete anything, and make the reports together.

If it already happened

  1. If you already paid, stop paying now and keep the receipts and payment details as evidence.
  2. Report the account in the app where it happened, and keep the report confirmation.
  3. Use StopNCII.org if you are 18 or over, or Take It Down if the image was taken when you were under 18.
  4. In the US, if the person targeted is under 18, report to NCMEC's CyberTipline.
  5. In India, use the women and children section of cybercrime.gov.in when the threat involves sexual images.
  • ReportFraud.ftc.govReport the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
  • IC3.govThe FBI’s internet crime complaint center, for losses online.
  • IdentityTheft.govIf they got your ID, Social Security number or account details.

Questions

Should I pay a sextortion scammer?
No. NCMEC says paying rarely stops the blackmail, and the FBI says images are often shared even after payment.
Will they really send my video to my family?
Some do, even after being paid. That is why the safest steps are to stop replying, report early and use the takedown tools.
How do I file a sextortion complaint in India?
Go to cybercrime.gov.in and use the section for crimes against women and children if sexual images are involved, or report it as another cybercrime. If money has already gone, call 1930 as soon as you can.
Is it my fault because I sent the photo?
No. NCMEC is clear that the blackmailer is to blame, and you can still get help and get images taken down.

Realr lets you ask someone to prove who they are before a call or a photo ever happens, which makes a fake profile harder to hide behind.

Ask someone to verify

Sources

Checked against the sources above on 17 October 2026. By Manav Sharma, Marketing Team, Realr. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Ask them to prove who they are, before you pay or meet.

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