Sexual Extortion (Sextortion)

Sexual extortion – commonly known as "sextortion" – is a rapidly growing form of online exploitation that affects people of all ages, including college students. It occurs when an unknown individual contacts you online, often through social media or messaging apps, and manipulates or persuades you into sharing intimate photos or videos of yourself. Once that content is shared, the offender uses it as leverage to extort money or additional images from the victim under the threat of publicly posting the material or sending it to your social media contacts, family, or friends.

Sextortion is not rare. In 2023 alone, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 26,718 reports of financial sextortion – up from 10,731 reports in 2022, nearly tripling in a single year (NCMEC, 2024). By October 2024, NCMEC had already received more than 456,000 reports of online enticement – the broader category that includes sextortion (NCMEC, 2024). University Police and Public Safety (UPPS) receives multiple reports of sextortion each year at Penn State campuses.

How Sextortion Works

Sextortion schemes often follow a predictable pattern:

1. An unknown individual contacts you on social media, a dating app, or a messaging platform.
2. They quickly build a sense of trust or intimacy – sometimes posing as a peer, romantic interest, or even a modeling agency.
3. They encourage or coerce you into sharing intimate photos or videos.
4. Once content is received, they threaten to release it publicly or send it to your contacts unless you pay them money.

Offenders often demand payment through wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. They may use multiple fake identities, move conversations across platforms to avoid detection, and claim to be someone they are not.

It is not recommended to pay a scammer. Research shows that paying rarely stops the threats – in fact, according to a 2025 study of nearly 1,000 sextortion cases, 40% of victims who paid their attackers received daily threats after complying, and more than 25% were targeted weekly with further demands (Digital Forensics Corp., 2025). Paying only signals to the offender that further extortion will be rewarded.

Who Is Targeted?

Sextortion does not discriminate. While young people between the ages of 18 and 24 have historically been considered the primary targets due to their active presence on social media and dating apps, research indicates that victims span a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Recent data also shows that teenage boys have become the most common targets in financial sextortion cases (NCMEC, 2024).

Approximately 98% of sextortion cases go unreported to law enforcement, often due to embarrassment, fear, or shame (Digital Forensics Corp., 2025). UPPS strongly encourages anyone who experiences sextortion to report it – you are not at fault, and help is available.

Red Flags to Watch For

Individuals involved in sextortion often:

• Approach you on social media after researching your interests, friends, school, or family
• Quickly ask for intimate images shortly after connecting online
• Deliberately move conversations from one platform to another (e.g., from Instagram to a private messaging app)
• Use reciprocation tactics ("I'll show you if you show me")
• Pretend to be younger, a different gender, or a romantic interest
• Develop a false sense of trust or a fabricated relationship before making demands

If You Are Targeted

If you become a victim or target of sextortion, take the following steps immediately:

• Do not pay. Paying rarely stops the demands and often escalates them.
• Stop all communication with the offender immediately.
• Do not delete your messages or profiles. This information may be critical for law enforcement.
• Document everything. Note the offender's usernames, profile links, and any contact information.
• Report it to University Police and Public Safety at 814-863-1111 or police.psu.edu/report-crime.
• Report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
• Report it to NCMEC at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST.
• If intimate images have been distributed or are at risk of distribution, visit MissingKids.org/IsYourExplicitContentOutThere or TakeItDown.NCMEC.org for assistance in having content removed from online platforms.

Remember: the offender is to blame – not you. Even if you made a choice you regret, what the offender is doing is a crime.

Protecting Yourself

The best defense against sextortion is awareness and caution:

• Never share intimate photos or videos with someone you have not met in person and do not know well.
• Be skeptical of online acquaintances who move quickly toward intimacy or request personal images shortly after connecting.
• Remember that people online may not be who they claim to be — offenders frequently use false identities to lure victims.
• Review your privacy settings on social media and limit what strangers can learn about you.
• Trust your instincts. If an interaction feels off, it may be.

Free Safety Training from University Police

University Police and Public Safety's Community Oriented Policing (COP) Unit offers a free Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention program to University work units and student groups upon request . This program leads participants in a discussion on:

• Sexual assault awareness and prevention tactics for college students
• Relevant federal and state laws
• Available victim resources and support
• The importance of communication and consent in relationships
• Stalking and sextortion awareness

The COP Unit also offers a Scamming and Phishing Safety program providing an overview of common scam and phishing schemes, practical tips to avoid becoming a victim, and information on available support resources.

All programs are available free of charge to University student groups and work units. To learn more or to request a training for your group or department, visit our Community Oriented Policing page.