Sextortion: what it is and what to do

Sextortion is blackmail: a criminal claims to have (or actually has) an intimate image of you, and demands money or more images to stop them sharing it. It’s one of the fastest-growing cybercrimes in Australia, targeting everyone from teenage boys on gaming platforms to professionals on dating apps. It is a serious crime, and Australian agencies treat victims with care.

The two common scripts

• The “we hacked you” bluff: an email claims malware recorded you, often quoting an old leaked password as “proof”. Usually there is no video at all — it’s a mass-mailed bluff. Delete and report.
• The real grooming script: a fake profile builds trust, convinces the victim to share an image, then reveals the blackmail. This one escalates fast — and this page is for it.

What to do, step by step

1. 1

   Do not pay. Do not send more.

   Every experienced agency gives the same advice: payment doesn’t end sextortion, it escalates it. Paying marks you as a payer, and the demands grow.

2. 2

   Screenshot everything, then block

   Capture the threats, the account details, the payment demands and any images sent. Then block on all platforms and tighten privacy settings. Don’t delete the account itself — investigators may need it.

3. 3

   Report

   To eSafety (image-based abuse — they can act on threats as well as actual sharing), to the platform, and to ReportCyber or police. If the victim is under 18, report to the ACCCE — this is child exploitation.

4. 4

   Tell someone

   The shame is the criminal’s weapon. Victims who tell one trusted person cope measurably better, and there is genuinely nothing to be ashamed of — you were targeted by professionals.

What happens after you report

eSafety can have images and accounts removed and can penalise offenders. Police treat sextortion as the serious extortion offence it is — victims are never treated as offenders, including young people who shared images of themselves. Many sextortionists operate offshore; even so, reports build the intelligence that disrupts their networks and bank accounts.