Sextortion help · 18+
Sextortion help: how to deal with online blackmail
A calm playbook — not a scare page. Stop contact, keep the evidence, who to tell, a short mental-health note, and why “we can delete it for a fee” is usually the second scam.
Quick answer
Do not pay. Save the chat, then stop writing back. Report the account on the app or site. In the US file at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IC3.gov, and consider a local police report. If money already left, call the bank the same day. Ignore strangers who offer to “wipe” the images for a fee. Definition: what is sextortion.
Stop contact
If you are searching sextortion help or how to deal with online blackmail, the useful first move is to stop feeding the chat. Do not send more images. Do not explain yourself. Do not bargain for a deadline. Once you have screenshots (next section), block the account on every channel they used.
They may create a new handle the same day. Do not reply there either. Forwarding a “last warning” keeps you on the hook. If a dating-app match is the source, report that profile too — the report button is why they tried to move you to WhatsApp. Related flags: online dating red flags. How the crime is defined: what is sextortion. Video-session path: webcam blackmail.
You do not owe them a closing argument.
Silence is not agreement. It is how you stop giving them new material and new proof that the threat works. Tell one person you trust instead of telling the operator.
Preserve evidence
Do this before you block if the thread is still visible. Apps can drop messages once you report.
- Profile URL or username, photos, and the threat text — full-screen if you can.
- Wallet addresses, gift-card brands, payment-app handles, and any URLs. Copy them into a note; do not open new links.
- The original app or site, plus WhatsApp / Telegram / email if they moved you.
- Bank, card, or crypto receipts if you already sent money.
Do not delete the conversation to “make it go away” until you have copies outside the app. The same freeze-first habit is in how to report a dating scam. Video-session context: video chat safety.
Who to contact
The platform
Report and block on Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Instagram, a video site, or wherever it started. Blocking without reporting only hides them from you.
Bank or card, if money left
Call the same day. Say sextortion or online blackmail. Flag gift-card purchase points and any crypto on-ramp. Do not pay a “tax” or fee to release anything.
FTC and IC3 (US)
ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IC3.gov. Use the words sextortion or online blackmail. UK: Action Fraud. Australia: Scamwatch / ReportCyber.
Local police
File a report if you feel unsafe, if images were posted, or if a bank later asks for a case number. Take the screenshots you have. You do not need a perfect file.
Optional, for adults: StopNCII.org can hash images so participating platforms may help block re-uploads. It does not replace IC3. If the person in the images is under 18, use the NCMEC CyberTipline and local police immediately — this page is for adult dating-app victims.
Romance-fraud reporting (gift cards, wires, fake platforms) uses the same government doors: report a dating scam. Broader types: online dating scams · romance scams.
Mental-health note
Shame is the lever. The operator is counting on you to handle this alone. Telling one trusted person reduces the chance you send money under a new deadline. If you are in the United States and need someone to talk to right now, 988 (call, text, or 988lifeline.org) is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — free, 24/7, confidential. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
This site is a dating-safety handbook, not a clinic. We do not list paid “recovery coaches.” If you want counseling, use a licensed local clinician or a service your doctor or insurer already knows.
Watch for second-stage “recovery” scams
After a sextortion incident, a new account may appear: a “takedown specialist,” a “white-hat hacker,” or a firm that found your case and can wipe every copy for a fee. Treat that as the same operation or a copycat. They already know you are scared.
- Unsolicited contact that names the incident and asks for crypto or gift cards.
- Guarantees that they can delete files from every device or search engine.
- A rush — “pay today or the packet goes out” — the same clock as the first threat.
Official reports and platform tools are the path. Paying a stranger to “fix” blackmail is how a second loss happens. If a new demand arrives, save it and add it to the IC3 file. Do not open a second negotiation.
FAQ
What should I do first if I am being blackmailed online?
Screenshot the profile, chat, usernames, and any wallet or gift-card ask if the thread is still open. Then stop writing back and block. Do not pay. Report the account. US: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, IC3.gov, and local police if you need a record. Definition: what is sextortion.
How do I deal with online blackmail without paying?
Do not send money, more images, or a “final” payment. Keep evidence, cut contact, report the account, and file with the FTC, IC3, and local police. Paying does not buy deletion and usually brings a second demand. Dating-app flags that often show up first: dating red flags.
Who do I report sextortion to?
The platform first (report and block). Then FTC ReportFraud and IC3 in the US, plus local police if you feel unsafe or images were posted. UK: Action Fraud. Australia: Scamwatch. Same-day bank call if money left. Steps that overlap romance fraud: how to report a dating scam.
Are recovery or takedown services after sextortion safe?
Treat unsolicited “we can wipe the internet” or “hacker for hire” offers as a second-stage scam. Use official reports and, if you want, StopNCII hashing — not another crypto payment to a stranger.