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Don't pay. You have options.
If someone is threatening to share intimate images of you, real or fake, unless you pay or send more, you're not alone and you're not to blame. Here's what to do right now.
Don't pay, and don't send more images
Paying doesn't guarantee they'll stop. It often leads to more demands.
Save what's safe to save, then stop replying
Write down usernames, profile links, the threatening messages, payment demands, and any transaction details. Don't delete the conversation yet. If the person in the images was under 18, don't save the images themselves.
Report the account
Use the platform's report button or its form, then block them.
Report to the FBI
At tips.fbi.gov, by phone at 1-800-225-5324, or at ic3.gov. If you're under 18, also report to the CyberTipline.
Find and block copies
StopNCII for adults, or Take It Down for images taken under 18. Both create a fingerprint on your device, and participating platforms use it to find, remove, and block matching copies. The image isn't uploaded.
Talk to someone
The CCRI helpline is free and open 24/7 for callers in the U.S.: 844-878-2274. More support
Watch out for "recovery" services
The FBI warns about companies that target people being threatened. Be very wary of anyone who guarantees total removal, pressures you to pay quickly, offers to "hack" the person threatening you, or asks for more images. Official reporting and nonprofit help are free.
This happens a lot
Between October 2021 and March 2023 alone, the FBI received more than 13,000 reports of financial sextortion involving minors. People who do this are often organized and follow a script. It isn't a reflection on you.