How to report sextortion in Northern Ireland
Don't pay, stop contact and keep everything, then report it to the PSNI on 101 or online at psni.police.uk/report, and to the platform where the contact happened. Ring 999 if you are in immediate danger.
If someone is threatening to share sexual images of you unless you pay, you are not the one in trouble here, and you are not the only one. The PSNI says the majority of sextortion victims in Northern Ireland are young men aged 18 to 23, and that anyone can be targeted. Threatening to share an intimate image is a crime here.
Key points
- Don't respond to the demands and don't pay. The National Crime Agency says there is no guarantee that paying will stop the threats, and the offender may ask for more.
- Report to the PSNI on 101 or online. Ring 999 if you're at immediate risk.
- If you're under 18, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police, or report straight to the CEOP Safety Centre, part of the National Crime Agency.
- In Northern Ireland, threatening to share an intimate image can mean up to two years in prison and ten years on the sex offender register, according to the PSNI.
- If you are thinking about hurting yourself, call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000. It's free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Under 18? Report it to the PSNI on 101 or online (999 if you are in immediate danger), or report straight to the CEOP Safety Centre, part of the National Crime Agency.
Two different crimes go by the same name
Sextortion is a type of online blackmail, and the threat can arrive in different ways. Work out which one you are facing.
The email that says it recorded you
If you get an email claiming the sender has recorded you, the same advice applies: don't pay and stop contact. You can report a suspicious email to the National Cyber Security Centre by forwarding it to [email protected] (NCSC guidance).
If the email includes a crypto wallet address, you can check on Chainabuse whether it has been reported.
Someone who actually has your images
The PSNI describes the pattern: someone uses a fake identity to befriend you on a dating app, social media or webcam chat. It starts with flirting or flattery and ends with you being coaxed into sending intimate images or performing sexual acts on camera, which are secretly recorded. Then comes the demand: pay, usually a large sum, or the video goes online or to your contacts. According to the NCA, offenders may also use hacked accounts and AI-generated images.
The NCA says most of this is run by organised crime groups based overseas, chasing quick money. Boys aged 14 to 17 and men aged 18 to 30 are particularly at risk.
What to do in the first hour
In the first hour: don't pay, keep the evidence, report the account, and report it to the police.
- Don't panic, don't respond to the demands, and don't pay.
- Don't delete anything. Save the whole conversation, the account's username and profile details, the payment demand, and any wallet address or bank details. The NCA asks victims to keep messages, images and financial records.
- Report the account to the platform where the contact happened, and block it. If you want to step away from your own account, the NCA suggests deactivating it rather than deleting it.
- If you've already paid, write down every payment: date, amount, the wallet address or account it went to, and the transaction ID (TXID) for crypto.
- Report it to the PSNI on 101 or online. If you're under 18, you can report to CEOP instead.
- Confide in a friend or family member you trust. The PSNI recommends it.
Where to report
| Your situation | Where to report | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Someone holds real images of you, or says they do, and is threatening to share them | PSNI: 101, online, or 999 in an emergency or if you feel threatened | Where the NCA says to report sextortion. |
| An email claiming the sender has recorded you | Forward the suspicious email to [email protected] (National Cyber Security Centre) | The NCSC analyses reported emails and can get malicious sites taken down. |
| You're under 18 | CEOP Safety Centre, or the PSNI | CEOP is part of the National Crime Agency; a Child Protection Advisor picks up the report. |
| You're 18 or over and your images have been posted | The platform's own reporting option, then the PSNI | The platform can act on the post, and the PSNI takes reports of sextortion. |
| You have already paid | The PSNI on 101 or online | Report the payments with dates, amounts and wallet address or account details. |
| The contact happened on a social network, game or messaging app | That platform's own report-account tool (no link here) | The NCA advises reporting to the platform where the contact happened. |
PSNI: 101, online, or 999
The PSNI asks sextortion victims to contact police straight away on 101, or to report online. Ring 999 in an emergency, or if you feel threatened. Its sextortion page explains how these crimes work and lists further support.
CEOP Safety Centre, for under-18s
CEOP is a command of the National Crime Agency. Under-18s can report online sexual abuse or threats at ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre, and a Child Protection Advisor picks up the report. If a child is in immediate danger, ring 999.
National Cyber Security Centre: report a suspicious email
You can forward a suspicious email to [email protected] (NCSC guidance). The NCSC analyses reported emails and can get malicious sites taken down.
If your images were posted
Report the post to the platform, and report it to the PSNI on 101 or online.
If the person in the image is under 18, the PSNI's advice is not to delete, save or share it, and to report it straight away.
If you are a parent
Tell your child it isn't their fault, don't pay, keep the evidence, and report it to the PSNI on 101 or online, or to CEOP. The National Crime Agency's message to young people is that it is never their fault.
If you already paid
Don't pay again: the NCA says there is no guarantee that paying will stop the threats. Keep a record of every payment (date, amount, wallet address or account, transaction ID) and report it to the PSNI on 101 or online.
Beware of anyone who offers to make it go away
Be wary of anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back. The Financial Conduct Authority warns that people who have been scammed once are more likely to be targeted again, by "recovery room" scammers who pretend to be legitimate firms.
If you're thinking about hurting yourself
Call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000. It's free, confidential and open 24 hours every day (nidirect). If you're in immediate danger, ring 999.
Why report the wallet address publicly
You can report a wallet address on Chainabuse, and you can check there whether an address has already been reported. Chainabuse is separate from the police: report to the police as well.
Frequently asked questions
1. Where do I report sextortion in Northern Ireland?
To the PSNI, on 101 or online at psni.police.uk/report. Ring 999 in an emergency. Under-18s can also report to the CEOP Safety Centre.
2. Should I pay the person blackmailing me?
No. The National Crime Agency says there is no guarantee that paying will stop the threats, and the offender may ask for more. The PSNI's advice is not to respond to demands at all.
3. Is sextortion a crime in Northern Ireland?
Yes. Sextortion is a crime, and the PSNI asks victims to contact police on 101 or report online.
4. My child is being sextorted. What do I do?
Tell them it isn't their fault. Don't pay, keep the evidence, and report to the PSNI on 101 or to the CEOP Safety Centre. Ring 999 if they are in danger.
5. What should I keep as evidence?
Don't delete anything. The NCA asks victims to keep messages, images, the offender's profile details and bank account details.
6. What should I do if I have already paid?
Don't pay again: the NCA says there is no guarantee that paying will stop the threats. Keep a record of every payment (date, amount, wallet address or account, transaction ID) and report it to the PSNI on 101 or online.
7. Is reporting on Chainabuse the same as reporting to the PSNI?
No. Chainabuse is separate from the PSNI. The NCA says to report sextortion to the police, and you can also check on Chainabuse whether a wallet address has been reported.
