What should we do first in a sextortion situation?

Do not pay and do not comply, since giving in usually makes threats escalate. Preserve usernames, messages, and dates, but do not save or forward any nude or sexual image of a minor; report it instead.

Where do we report sextortion?

Report to NCMEC's CyberTipline and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and use Take It Down to help remove images of someone under 18. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

Sextortion & intimate-image abuse

If someone is pressuring a child for images or threatening to share them, act fast — and know the child is the victim, not the wrongdoer.

If a child is in danger right now

Call 911. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 988.

The child is not in trouble

If a young person is being exploited, they are the victim of a crime and should report it — even if they sent something, or accepted money or a game credit. They are not the one breaking the law.

What to do

1
Don't pay and don't comply
Giving in usually makes the threats escalate, not stop.
2
Preserve evidence — but not the image itself
Save usernames, messages, and dates. Do not save, copy, or forward a nude or sexual image of a minor; report it instead.
3
Report it
To NCMEC's CyberTipline and to the FBI (see below).
4
Stop the spread
Use Take It Down to help remove or prevent the sharing of an image of someone under 18.
5
Tell a trusted adult and the school
Especially if it involves classmates.

Where to report

NCMEC CyberTipline — report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678.
Take It Down (for images of someone under 18) — takeitdown.ncmec.org.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — ic3.gov.

Authoritative sources

Frequently asked questions

What should we do first in a sextortion situation?: Do not pay and do not comply, since giving in usually makes threats escalate. Preserve usernames, messages, and dates, but do not save or forward any nude or sexual image of a minor; report it instead.
Is the child in trouble for sending an image?: No. A young person being exploited is the victim of a crime and should report it, even if they sent something or accepted money or a game credit.
Where do we report sextortion?: Report to NCMEC's CyberTipline and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and use Take It Down to help remove images of someone under 18. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

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General information — not legal advice

This guide is general information to help you get organized, not legal or mental-health advice, and it doesn't guarantee any outcome. Laws and school policies vary and change. For your specific situation, consult a licensed professional or your state's education agency. In an emergency call 911; for a mental-health crisis call or text 988.

All resources