How to report sextortion in Ireland
Don't pay, and block all communication with the person. Save screenshots, messages, images and URLs, then report it to An Garda Síochána at any Garda station, or in confidence by email to [email protected]. If you're in danger, call 999 or 112.
The Gardaí describe sextortion as cyber extortion, a crime, and sharing someone's intimate images without consent is itself a crime under Coco's Law. The first piece of Garda advice is simply: don't panic, help and support is available.
Key points
In short: don't pay, keep the evidence, and report it to the Gardaí.
- Don't pay. The Gardaí advise victims not to pay.
- Report to An Garda Síochána: at your local or any Garda station, or confidentially, 24 hours a day, by email to [email protected]. In an emergency, call 999 or 112.
- Sharing intimate images without consent is a crime under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, known as Coco's Law. Offences under it carry up to 7 years in prison and unlimited fines.
- If the victim is under 18, the images are child sexual abuse material in law. The Garda freephone 1800 555 222 takes confidential complaints of child sexual abuse, 24/7.
Under 18? Report it to the Gardaí: at a Garda station, by email to [email protected], or on the freephone 1800 555 222, which takes confidential complaints of child sexual abuse 24/7. The Gardaí say sexual images of a juvenile are child sexual abuse material. If you're in danger, call 999 or 112.
Someone who actually has your images
The Gardaí define sextortion as a form of cyber extortion: a threat or blackmail over having intimate material shared without consent.
The Gardaí list the warning signs: a profile that doesn't add up, feelings that escalate very fast, a webcam that conveniently never works, and sudden requests for money for an "emergency".
What to do in the first hour
Don't pay, block the person, save the evidence, and report it to the Gardaí.
- Don't panic and don't pay. Block all communication with the person targeting you.
- Take screenshots. Save the messages and images, and collect the URL links.
- Report it at any Garda station, or confidentially by email to [email protected]. If you're in danger, call 999 or 112.
- If the victim is under 18, the images are child sexual abuse material in law. The Garda freephone 1800 555 222 takes confidential complaints of child sexual abuse, 24/7.
- You don't have to go alone: the Gardaí say you can go to a station accompanied by a friend or a support worker.
Where to report
Report to An Garda Síochána, at a Garda station or in confidence by email, and call 999 or 112 if you're in danger. Use the table to find your situation.
| Your situation | Where to report | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Someone holds real images of you | Any Garda station, or [email protected] (confidential, 24/7); 999 or 112 if you're in danger | The Gardaí describe sextortion as a crime and say to report it to a Garda station. |
| You are under 18 | The Gardaí: a station, [email protected], or the freephone 1800 555 222 (24/7); see also the "Under 18?" box above | The Gardaí say sexual images of a juvenile are child sexual abuse material. |
| You are 18 or over and images are already posted | The platform's own report option and the Gardaí (station or [email protected]); then Coimisiún na Meán if the platform doesn't act | Posting intimate images without consent is a crime under Coco's Law. Coimisiún na Meán, the online safety regulator, says it cannot remove content immediately. |
| You paid | Any Garda station | The Gardaí ask fraud victims to bring copies of the communications and the account details. |
Your local Garda station, or any station
You can report a crime at your local Garda station or any other station. Find yours in the Garda station directory. The Gardaí say you may go accompanied by a friend or a support worker.
[email protected]: confidential, 24/7
The Gardaí accept reports of sexual crime in confidence, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by email to [email protected].
999 or 112: if you're in danger
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 or 112.
Garda Confidential: 1800 666 111
If you have information about who is behind it and want to pass it on anonymously, the Garda Confidential line is 1800 666 111.
If your images were posted
Report the images to the platform first, using its own report option, and report the crime to the Gardaí, at a station or in confidence by email to [email protected].
Under Coco's Law, the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, sharing intimate images without consent is a criminal offence, with penalties of up to 7 years in prison and unlimited fines.
Coimisiún na Meán is Ireland's online safety regulator. It says it doesn't have the powers to remove illegal or harmful content from the internet immediately: its role is to make sure the online services it regulates follow the rules and that their reporting functions work effectively. If the platform doesn't respond properly to your report, you can complain to Coimisiún na Meán.
If you are a parent
If your child is under 18, sexual images of them are child sexual abuse material in law, so report to the Gardaí: at a Garda station, by email to [email protected], or on the Garda freephone 1800 555 222, which takes confidential complaints of child sexual abuse 24/7. If your child is in danger, call 999 or 112. The Gardaí's advice is the same for everyone: don't pay, block all communication with the person, and save screenshots, messages, images and URLs.
If you already paid
Report it to the Gardaí. The Gardaí ask fraud victims to bring copies of the communications and the account details to their local station.
Why report the wallet address publicly
You can report a wallet address on Chainabuse, and check there whether an address has already been reported.
Frequently asked questions
The short answers: don't pay, keep the evidence, and report it to the Gardaí.
1. Where do I report sextortion in Ireland?
To An Garda Síochána: at your local or any Garda station, or confidentially, 24/7, by email to [email protected]. In an emergency, call 999 or 112. You can also report a wallet address on Chainabuse.
2. Is sextortion a crime in Ireland? What is Coco's Law?
Yes. The Gardaí describe sextortion as cyber extortion and say it is serious, criminal and can be prosecuted. Coco's Law, the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, makes it an offence to distribute, publish or threaten to publish or distribute an intimate image without consent, with intent to cause harm or being reckless about it. Penalties are up to 7 years in prison and unlimited fines.
3. Should I pay the person blackmailing me?
No. The Gardaí advise against paying.
4. My child is being sextorted. What do I do?
If your child is under 18, report to the Gardaí at a station, by email to [email protected], or on 1800 555 222. If they're in danger, call 999 or 112. Don't pay, block all communication with the person, and save screenshots, messages, images and URLs.
5. How do I get my images taken down?
Report the images to the platform using its own report option, and report the crime to the Gardaí, at a station or in confidence by email to [email protected]. If the platform doesn't deal with your report properly, complain to Coimisiún na Meán, the online safety regulator; it says it cannot remove content from the internet immediately.
6. What should I do if I already paid?
Report it to the Gardaí, and bring copies of the communications and the account details to your local station.
