Blackmail emails and sextortion: what is a bluff, what is not, and what to do
An email says you were recorded and demands bitcoin. Or someone you met online threatens to share your photos. How to tell the mass-mailed bluff from a real threat, and the steps that protect you.
Key takeaways
- The mass email claiming to have recorded you through your webcam is a bluff, sent to millions. Do not reply and do not pay.
- An old password in the email came from a past data breach, not from your computer. Stop using that password everywhere.
- If someone has real images of you and is threatening to share them, do not pay. Paying almost always leads to more demands.
- Stop contact, keep the evidence, report the account to the platform, and report to the FBI at IC3.gov or tips.fbi.gov.
- If the person targeted is under 18, tell a trusted adult and report to NCMEC. The free Take It Down service can help remove images. You are not in trouble.
Two very different situations
People use the word "sextortion" for two things that need different responses.
- The mass-mailed bluff. An email to millions of addresses claims to have hacked your device and recorded you. There is no recording.
- The targeted threat. A real person you have been talking to has real images or video of you and threatens to send them to your family, friends, or employer.
Both are crimes. Neither should be paid. The FBI received more than 75,000 reports of sextortion in 2025, according to coverage of its annual report.
The bluff email
It reads something like this:
"I know your password is sunshine22. I installed software on your device and recorded you through your webcam while you visited adult sites. I have your contacts. Pay $1,400 in bitcoin to this address within 48 hours or I send the video to everyone."
Why it feels real
- It quotes a password you recognize. That password came from an old data breach of some website, where your email and password were exposed together. It did not come from your computer.
- It may include your phone number, address, or a photo of your street. These are also from breach data and public mapping services.
- It may appear to come from your own email address. Sender addresses are easily forged.
- The deadline and the shame discourage you from asking anyone.
What to do
- Do not reply and do not pay.
- Stop using that password everywhere. Change any account that still has it, starting with your email, and turn on two-factor sign-in. See lock down your accounts.
- Mark the email as spam or phishing, and report it at IC3.gov if you wish.
- Delete it. Nothing will happen when the deadline passes.
If it helps your peace of mind, a piece of tape or a sliding cover over a laptop camera is harmless. It is not what protects you here. The email was never true.
The targeted threat
This usually begins as flirtation on social media, a dating app, or a game. The other person sends intimate images first, which are stolen, and encourages you to do the same or to join a video call, which they record. Then the tone changes. They show you a list of your followers or family members and demand money, often a few hundred dollars by gift card, payment app, or crypto, within minutes.
Teenage boys are targeted heavily, and the pressure can be intense and fast. The consequences have at times been tragic, which is why this needs to be talked about plainly at home.
What to do
- Do not pay. Payment is followed by further demands. Criminals move on quickest from people who stop responding.
- Stop all contact. Do not negotiate, plead, or threaten.
- Do not delete the conversation. Take screenshots of the profile, the username, the messages, and any payment details.
- Report the account to the platform. Platforms act quickly on this.
- Lock down your profiles. Make follower and friend lists private, so the person loses their leverage.
- Report to the FBI at IC3.gov or tips.fbi.gov, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
- Use the image-blocking services. For people under 18, NCMEC's Take It Down helps remove or block images on participating platforms without you having to send the image to anyone. For adults, StopNCII.org does the same.
- Tell someone you trust. This is the step people most want to skip, and the one that helps most.
What usually happens
In most cases, when the victim stops responding and blocks the account, the images are never sent. The criminals are working many targets at once and their leverage depends on a reply. There is no guarantee, which is why steps 4 to 7 matter, but the fear is almost always worse than the outcome.
If you are a parent
- Have the conversation before it is needed. "If anyone ever threatens you online, about anything, come to me. You will not be in trouble and we will sort it out together."
- If it happens, stay calm. Your reaction decides whether your child tells you the next thing. Thank them for telling you.
- Do not pay, and do not take over the chat. Save the evidence and report.
- Report to NCMEC's CyberTipline and the FBI. Sexual images of anyone under 18 are illegal to possess or share, and that includes the person making the threats.
- Watch their mood in the following weeks.
If you are in distress
Shame is the weapon in this crime, and it lies. People recover from this, including people whose images were shared. If you or someone you know is thinking about self-harm, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any hour.
If you already paid
Contact the bank, card issuer, gift card company, or app immediately. See how to get your money back. Then stop all contact and follow the steps above. Having paid once does not mean you have to pay again, and it does not make you less deserving of help.
Common questions
I got an email saying they hacked my webcam and have video of me. Is it real?
Almost certainly not. These emails are sent in bulk with identical wording. They often include an old password or your phone number, taken from a past data breach, to seem credible. There is no video. Do not reply or pay. Change any account that still uses that password.
Should I pay a sextortion demand?
No. Law enforcement advises against paying. People who pay are usually asked for more, because they have shown they will. Stop responding, save the evidence, report the account, and report to the FBI.
They have my real photos and my friends list. What can I do?
Stop contact, take screenshots of the threats and the account, report the profile to the platform, tighten your privacy settings so your contacts are hidden, and report at IC3.gov. For adults, StopNCII.org can help block intimate images from being shared on participating platforms. For anyone under 18, use NCMEC's Take It Down service.
Will I get in trouble for reporting?
No. If you were tricked or pressured into sharing images, you are the victim of a crime. This is especially important for teenagers to hear: you will not be in trouble, and there are people whose job is to help.
Official sources and further reading
- FBI: Sextortion
- CyberScoop: coverage of the FBI IC3 2025 annual report, including sextortion reports
- NCMEC: Take It Down
- StopNCII.org
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
Published September 21, 2026, last updated September 21, 2026. This guide is general education for people in the United States. It is not legal or financial advice, and it cannot tell you whether a particular message or person is genuine. Spot an error? Tell us.