Do these things, then keep doing them
- Stop talking to them. Extra replies rarely calm a blackmailer. They often raise the pressure.
- Do not pay. You cannot buy silence; you can only rent it. A payment is a signal that more demands may work.
- Do not send more explicit photos or videos, no matter the threat.
- Block the account. If they return with new names or numbers, block those too. Patience on their side is limited when there is no money.
- Screenshot the threats, profiles, payment asks, and dates. Save usernames and phone numbers. Do not forward or re-upload the intimate file itself.
- Report the account in the app. In the United States you can also file at ic3.gov. A report may not produce a fast arrest. It still puts the pattern on record.
If they actually send the images
Follow-through happens. It is less common than the volume of threats, but it is not impossible. You do not have to invent a story that the pictures are “fake” if they are real. You also do not owe a public explanation. Tell people you trust that someone is trying to extort you. Report the post or message in-app. Use each platform’s intimate-image tools. If you still have the original file, open an AntiNCII case so a fingerprint can help against later matching uploads. More on that in How will AntiNCII work?
Do not buy “recovery” or “takedown” firms that cold-contact you
Paid “we will get it removed / we will talk to your scammer” services that appear after a sextortion incident are often a second scam. They may contact the original blackmailer. Then you can have two people demanding money. Stick to the platform’s own reports, specialist helplines, and services you chose yourself, such as AntiNCII or the organisations on Resources.
What they usually want
Most of this crime is about money or more material they can use as leverage. You are a potential paycheck, not a personal project to ruin a life. If they see no payment, many move on. That is why cutting contact and refusing to pay is the standard advice. It is still not a guarantee in your case. Take a breath. Fear is the product they are selling.
Helplines
- UK, 18 or over: Revenge Porn Helpline
- Outside the UK: local organisations listed by the Helpline
- Under 18: services for under-18s
- Australia or New Zealand: IDcare