Sextortion: The Fast-Growing Online Threat Parents Need to Understand

Online predators are changing how they operate. Instead of luring kids to meet in person, many now run a faster, crueler crime called sextortion. The FBI reports a large jump in cases where an adult tricks a young person into sending explicit images, and then threatens to share them unless the victim sends more pictures, money, or gift cards. It can start on any app, game, or social platform. And it can move from first contact to blackmail in minutes.

Victims aren’t reckless kids. The FBI has interviewed children as young as eight. Victims include honor-roll students, athletes, and kids from every background. The one thing most share is that shame and fear kept them silent. That silence is exactly what the predator counts on.

How it starts. Predators often pose as someone the same age, using flattery, fake relationships, gifts, or game credits to win trust. In other cases, the first message is already a threat. Once they hold one image or video, they use the fear of exposure to force the victim to keep producing content or to pay.

What parents can do. Keep accounts private and personal details off public profiles. Be wary of strangers who push to move to a new app or platform. Remind kids that nothing truly “disappears” online and that anyone can pretend to be anyone. Most importantly, keep the door open. A child who feels safe coming to you is far less likely to suffer alone.

If your child is ever a victim, act fast: don’t delete evidence, block and report the account, and tell law enforcement. They are not the one in trouble. The predator is.

The FBI publishes a detailed guide on how sextortion works and how to protect your family. Read the FBI’s sextortion overview here.

Need to report suspicious online contact or a predator targeting a child? Use our Report a Predator page. You can do it safely, and your report can help protect other kids too.