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Sextortion

What is Sextortion?

Sextortion is a cyber enabled crime during which victims are lured into sharing intimate images or videos. Victims can also be coerced into performing sexual acts in front of a webcam, but unbeknown to them, their actions are recorded by criminals who then use the video footage in an attempt to blackmail the individual.

Offenders commonly target their victims through dating apps, social media or webcams. This online blackmail usually involves people being lured into taking off some or all of their clothes in front of their webcam, only to be told that you have been recorded and that the video will be posted online and/or shown to the victim's contacts unless a fee is paid - usually a substantial sum of money.

Sextortion can have a devastating effect on the victim. However, there are steps you can take to prevent this type of crime happening to you.

Literally in seconds, they used my image to blackmail me.

Victim of sextortion , Anonymous

How is it committed?

Offenders commonly target their victims through dating apps, social media or webcams. Online blackmail usually involves people being lured into taking off some or all of their clothes in front of their webcam, only to be told that you have been recorded and that the video will be posted online and/or shown to the victim's contacts unless a fee is paid - usually a substantial sum of money.

Watch the video below to see how an online chat could develop into a sextortion blackmail.

How is it committed?

How To Protect Yourself

Find out how to protect yourself from online blackmail.

How to protect yourself

Support For Victims

If you have been a victim of sextortion, then you are certainly not alone. In this section, explore organisations who can offer you advice and support.

Support for Victims

The impact of sextortion

Sextortion can have a devastating impact on victims, and it can happen to anyone. Watch our videos to learn about how sextortion happens and what you can do to protect yourself.

The impact of sextortion

A victim's experience of sextortion

A victim's experience of sextortion
Sextortion
Sextortion

If criminals threaten to share intimate images or videos of you online - this is Sextortion.