Sextortion (webcam blackmail)
Sextortion is blackmail: someone threatens to share your intimate images unless you pay. It usually starts with a chat on an app or social network, then a move to video where the exchange is secretly recorded. If this happens to you, you are the victim of a crime, and you are not to blame.
How the blackmail unfolds
- An engaging profile contacts you and turns the chat intimate.
- It suggests a video call or an exchange of nude photos.
- It secretly records the scene.
- It then reveals its real goal and threatens to send the images to your contacts.
What to do right now
Three reflexes matter most.
- Don’t pay. Paying does not stop the blackmail — it brings new demands.
- Stop replying. Silence removes the power the scammer thinks they have.
- Keep the evidence: screenshots of the messages, the profile and the accounts used.
Next
- Block and report the account on the platform.
- Tell someone you trust. Shame is the scammer’s lever; breaking it weakens them.
- File a report and see where to report by country.
If images have already been shared
You still have options.
Report each post to the platform hosting it: sharing intimate images without consent is banned on major networks.
Keep the links and screenshots as evidence.
Ask someone you trust, or a professional, for help. You don’t have to handle this alone.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay to make it stop?
No. Paying almost always brings new demands. Stop the contact and keep the evidence.
I feel guilty — is it my fault?
No. The person making threats is committing a crime. The manipulation is designed to silence you through shame.
The images are fake or AI-generated — is it the same?
Yes. The blackmail is still a crime, even if the images are fake or edited. Don’t pay, and report it.
Real stories from victims
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Not sure about a profile? Check a photo, number or link, or report a profile to protect others.