What is sextortion?
Sextortion is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to distribute private, often sexually explicit, images or videos of a person unless they meet the perpetrator's demands. These demands might include additional explicit material, money, or other favors. Sextortion can happen to anyone, but it often targets teenagers who may be more vulnerable to manipulation.
What does sextortion look like?
In sextortion attacks, online predators pose as peers or love interests behind fake accounts on platforms such as Instagram. Scammers may start sharing fake nude photos of themselves first to gain trust and convince victims to do the same. Once predators have the material they need, they may start blackmailing the victim by threating to release the images to all their friends and family unless they pay or send more explicit images.
Online predators can also lurk in chat rooms and record young people who post or live-stream sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. They may hack into your electronic devices using malware to gain access to your files and control your web camera and microphone without you knowing it.
How are teens at risk for sextortion?
It is easy for a perpetrator to pretend to be someone they are not online. These numbers from 2022 show how easy it is for a predator to gain access to a teen, start a chat, and eventually gain trust:
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1 in 3 minors report they met one of their closest friends online
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1 in 7 minors report sharing something they have never shared before with a friend they met online.
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1 in 4 nine- to seventeen-year-olds have reported they flirted, had interest in dating, or romantic conversations with people they only knew online.
Victims of sextortion are typically males between the ages of 14 to 17, but any child can be a victim.
These crimes can lead to victims to self-harm and many cases have led victims of suicide.
Here are some things you can do to help your teen avoid becoming a victim:
Talk with your teen or child about internet safety. Let them know that they should:
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Understand that anyone can pretend to be someone they are not on the internet
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Teach them that they should tell a trusted adult if anyone online asks them for explicit images, sexual acts, or threatens them
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Never send compromising images to anyone, no matter who they are—or who they say they are.
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Do not open attachments from people you do not know.
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Turn off your electronic devices and web cameras when you are not using them.
If you suspect you've been a victim of sextortion:
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Change your online account passwords immediately.
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Do not respond to extortion demands or make any payments.
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Report the incident to the appropriate authorities.
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Collect evidence, such as emails or messages.
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Seek support from trusted friends or counselors to cope with the emotional impact of the incident.
Apps parents should know about that predators have used to access kids through:
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Other Resources:
- https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/sextortion-what-parents-should-know
- https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/topics/sextortion
- https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources