🆘 Crisis Resource
Your Child Is Being Sextorted
Take a breath. This is recoverable. Here's exactly what to do — and what not to do.
~100/day
Sextortion Reports to NCMEC
Source: NCMEC 2025
79%
Victims Are Boys
Source: NCMEC 2024
30+
Youth Suicides Linked
Source: FBI
Immediate Steps (First 30 Minutes)
Tell Your Child: This Is NOT Their Fault
Children being sextorted feel intense shame. They believe they caused this. Your first words matter more than anything else. Say: 'I'm glad you told me. This is not your fault. We're going to fix this together.' Do NOT express anger at your child.
Stop ALL Communication With the Extortionist
Do not respond. Do not negotiate. Do not pay. Paying NEVER stops the extortion — it confirms the victim will pay and leads to escalating demands. Block the account but do NOT delete the conversation (you need it as evidence).
Screenshot Everything BEFORE Blocking
Document the extortionist's username, profile, all messages, any demands, payment instructions, and timestamps. Save these to a secure location. This evidence is critical for law enforcement.
Report to NCMEC CyberTipline
Go to report.cybertip.org immediately. NCMEC has specific processes for sextortion cases and can coordinate with platforms and law enforcement. Also report the account directly on the platform.
Report to FBI IC3
File a report at ic3.gov. The FBI has dedicated sextortion units. If your child is in immediate danger of self-harm, call 911 first, then the FBI field office.
Use NCMEC's Take It Down Tool
If intimate images of your child have been shared, visit takeitdown.ncmec.org. This tool creates a hash of the image that platforms can use to detect and remove it — without you having to send the image to anyone.
What NOT to Do
✕ Don't pay the extortionist
Payment never ends the extortion. It escalates it. They'll demand more money, more images, or both.
✕ Don't punish your child
They're a victim. Taking away their phone, grounding them, or expressing anger will make them less likely to come to you in the future — and could increase self-harm risk.
✕ Don't delete evidence
Messages, usernames, and screenshots are critical for law enforcement. Don't delete the conversation or the account.
✕ Don't confront the extortionist
Do not engage, threaten, or try to negotiate. This is a criminal matter — let law enforcement handle it.
✕ Don't assume the images have been shared
In most cases, extortionists DON'T follow through on threats. Their goal is money, not distribution. Sharing reduces their leverage.
✕ Don't wait
Every hour matters. The faster you report, the faster law enforcement and platforms can act.
How Sextortion Works
Financial sextortion targeting minors typically follows a pattern:
Contact
Extortionist creates a fake profile (often posing as an attractive teen) and connects with the victim on Instagram, Snapchat, or gaming platforms.
Trust Building
Flirtatious conversation escalates over hours or days. May move to a private platform (Snapchat, WhatsApp).
Manipulation
Victim is convinced to share intimate images, often through reciprocal sharing (the predator sends fake images first).
Extortion
Predator reveals they have the images and threatens to send them to the victim's contacts, school, or post publicly. Demands payment — usually gift cards, cryptocurrency, or Cash App.
Escalation
If the victim pays, demands increase. If the victim doesn't pay, threats intensify. Some victims are extorted for additional images instead of money.
Recovery and Support
Get Professional Help
Connect your child with a therapist who specializes in trauma. RAINN (1-800-656-4673) provides free referrals. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text.
Secure All Accounts
Change passwords on all social media, email, and gaming accounts. Enable 2FA everywhere. Consider a new phone number if it was shared with the extortionist.
Monitor for Re-Contact
Extortionists may create new accounts to re-contact victims. Set up Google Alerts for your child's name. Monitor for new unknown contacts across all platforms.
It Gets Better
Many families go through this and recover. In most cases, images are never shared. With proper support, children can heal from this experience. Your response as a parent is the single biggest factor in their recovery.
Crisis Contacts
NCMEC CyberTipline
report.cybertip.orgFBI IC3
ic3.govNCMEC Take It Down
takeitdown.ncmec.org988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988
RAINN
1-800-656-4673
Emergency
911