What to Do if Someone Threatens to Publish Your Private Images or Videos

A message arrives: someone claims to have private images or video of you, and says they'll send it to your contacts, post it publicly, or send it to your school unless you pay, send more images, or do something else they're demanding. Nothing has been shared yet. The threat itself is the crisis.

This specific moment, before anything has actually been published, is different from responding to content that's already circulating, and it comes with its own first steps.

The images may not even be real

Sextortion attempts increasingly use AI-generated or manipulated images that were never real in the first place, built from ordinary photos pulled from social media. The FBI has specifically warned that malicious actors are creating this kind of fabricated content to threaten both adults and minors. This doesn't make the threat less serious , the harm from a convincing fake being published is real, but it matters for how you think about what's actually being threatened, and it's not something you can determine on your own in the moment. Don't assume, and don't try to figure it out by continuing to engage with whoever sent the message.

Do not pay, and do not send anything further

Preserve everything before you block

Before cutting off contact, take screenshots of the full conversation, the messages, the threat itself, the username or account, any images that were sent to you as "proof," and the platform it's happening on. This is the evidence that a platform report, a school report, or law enforcement will need. Once you block the account, you may lose easy access to this, so capture it first.

Then stop responding

After you've preserved what you need, stop engaging. Don't negotiate, don't explain, don't ask them to reconsider. Continuing the conversation, even to argue or plead , tends to confirm you're paying attention and can prolong or escalate the demands rather than end them. Blocking the account after you've captured what you need is a reasonable next step for most people in this situation.

Report it, before anything is published, not after

You don't have to wait until something is actually posted to report it. Report the account and the messages to the platform, using its category for extortion, harassment or threats. Report the situation to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov), which specifically tracks this kind of extortion, or to local law enforcement. If you're a student, your school can also act on a report before anything is published, schools generally aren't limited to responding only after harm has occurred.

If the person threatening you claims to already have real images, and you're under 18 or were when any real image was taken, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's Take It Down tool can be used preemptively to help prevent circulation on participating platforms; if you're 18 or older, StopNCII.org works the same way. Both generate a fingerprint of an image on your own device without uploading the file itself.

Tell someone before you have to

Telling a trusted adult, friend or counselor before the situation escalates further , rather than after, means you have support in place if the threat continues, and it means you're not carrying the decision of what to do next entirely alone. This is true even if the threat turns out to be empty; there's no downside to having told someone you trust.

What people commonly get wrong

When outside help may be needed

If the threat is escalating, involves multiple accounts or platforms, or you're unsure how to navigate a school or law enforcement process alongside everything else, victim advocates and specialized support services exist specifically for this situation and can help you navigate the reporting and documentation process without requiring you to manage it alone.