Financial Sextortion Is a Growing Internet Predator Threat: What Parents Need to Know
Reports of online enticement targeting kids more than doubled in the first half of 2025. Here's how predators use financial sextortion, and how to respond.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) just released new CyberTipline data, and one number stands out. Reports of online enticement targeting children jumped from about 293,000 to more than 518,000 in just the first half of 2025 compared to the same time a year earlier. Behind that climb is a fast-growing predator tactic: financial sextortion.
Predators start with trust. They build rapport over weeks through gaming chats and social media, often posing as another young person. Once they convince a child to share a compromising image, the tone shifts from flattery to fear. They threaten to send the photo to the child’s friends and family unless they pay up with money or gift cards.
Kids are especially vulnerable because they feel ashamed and trapped. Many never tell an adult, afraid they are the one who will get in trouble. Financial sextortion thrives on that silence. Predators count on it.
The good news is that reporting works. NCMEC says broader reporting is exactly what helps law enforcement identify predators and step in. If a child is being pressured online, the right response is never to pay. Instead: stop all contact, save the evidence, and report it right away.
Watch for three warning signs. A child who suddenly turns secretive about a new online friend. Requests for gift cards or money that make no sense. Big mood swings after time on a specific app or game. None of these prove a predator is involved, but together they are worth a calm conversation, not an interrogation. Kids respond best when they know the adult will stay calm and help them, not punish them.
Read NCMEC’s breakdown of the spike in online crimes against children:
www.missingkids.org/blog — “Spike in online crimes against children a wake-up call”
If you suspect a predator is pressuring a child you know, you can make a report today. Don’t wait. Use our Report a Predator tool — reporting is what stops predators before they can harm another kid.