Sextortion and how to keep safe

 It often starts innocently. You might meet someone online who seems genuine—whether on social media, a dating site, or through an online game. Conversations usually begin normal but quickly turn more personal or intimate, especially after moving to private platforms like WhatsApp or Snapchat. Here’s the scary part: sextortionists are experts at building trust.

They may pose as someone your age, or even use flattery and emotional manipulation to gain control. Once they have personal images or videos, they’ll demand more—or threaten to expose what they already have unless you comply.

• Fake News Articles: Offenders have started using fake websites or articles to "expose" their victims, adding a layer of fear and urgency.
• Photoshopping Images: They may edit photos to make it look like you’ve shared something inappropriate, adding pressure.
• Sugar Daddy Scams: On dating sites, scammers often pose as older men offering gifts or money in exchange for private content.

These tactics are designed to catch you off guard and make you feel powerless—but the more you know, the more control you can keep.

 Watch for these warning signs to protect yourself before things escalate:

• Fast escalation: Conversations turn sexual quickly, even if you weren’t expecting it.
• Unwarranted gifts: They offer money or gifts in exchange for "favours" or private photos.
• Emotionally manipulative behaviour: Trying to make you feel guilty or forcing emotional pressure to get what they want.
• Over-the-top flattery: They bombard you with attention to make you feel special.
• Quick platform switching: They urge you to move conversations from a public platform to a private messaging app.

What to Do:  Feeling trapped? You've got options:

• Cut off contact abruptly.
• Throw in a bit of humour or use excuses to exit the conversation.
• Hit that block button.

If something feels wrong, trust your gut and take action—early recognition is key. If something smells fishy, it probably is. Stay sharp and keep your digital world drama-free!

If you find yourself in a situation where someone is threatening to share private images or videos, remember that you’re not powerless. Here’s what to do:

• Immediately stop all communication.  Do not talk any further to the offenders. Take screen shots of any communication. Keep it as evidence.

• Deactivate (DO NOT delete) your social media account. Report the matter to the platform to have any video blocked. Set up an alert in case the video resurfaces. Deactivating the Facebook account rather than shutting it down will mean data is kept. This helps the police to gather evidence. The account can also be reactivated at any time. This means your online memories are not lost forever.

• DO NOT comply with the threat. In other words, never pay money and never send additional nudes. Some victims who have paid hear no more about it, others pay and are asked for more money. In some cases, even when money is paid the offenders posts the videos or images anyway.

• Make a note of all details provided by the offenders. For example; the Skype name (particularly the Skype ID), the Facebook URL; the Western Union or MoneyGram Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN); any photos/videos that were sent, etc.  Be aware that the scammer's Skype name is different to their Skype ID. It's the ID details that police will need. To get that, right click on their profile, select ‘View Profile’. Then look for the name shown in blue rather than the one above it in black. It'll be next to the word ’Skype’ and will have no spaces in it.

• Reach out for help and report it. Tell an adult who will help you, and report what has happened to www.actionfraud.police.uk or contact police in your jurisdiction. Remember that you are not alone. Reach out to a safe adult so they can help you get through this situation. Dealing with sextortion is too big to manage on your own.

• Keep the correspondence. Keep information such as the person’s username(s), social media account information, a copy of the communications, along with any images and/or videos that were sent.