Typically, a person creates a false identity to befriend a victim via social media – this is commonly known as ‘catfishing’. The exchange may start with flirting or flattery and involves a blackmailer grooming a child and manipulating, tricking or coercing them into sharing sexual photos, videos or livestreams. (Find out more about online grooming). 

Once sexual material has been shared, the blackmailer will threaten to publish and share the private images or videos unless demands are met. Typical demands include money or more sexual material.

Offenders who blackmail are highly skilled. To get children and young people to share nude images or videos, offenders may:

• Pretend to be forming a real friendship or romantic relationship with the child or young person, this may include pretending to be another child or young person

• Give flattery and compliments, encouraging a child or young person into being more open

• Offer something of value, such as a modelling contract, money or online gaming credits

• Claim that they’ve hacked the child or young person’s device and already have access to explicit and embarrassing content of them, which they then threaten to share publicly

Being blackmailed is a frightening experience and can have a devastating impact on victims and the personal and psychological toll they face can be immense. Embarrassment, fear of judgement or getting into trouble is often a big barrier to children and young people reporting or telling someone what has happened to them. But it is important that young people and their families do not let embarrassment or the fear of getting into trouble stop them from reporting to the police.

Recently, this crime has seen a significant rise in boys as victims of online sexual abuse, with the Internet Watch Foundation reporting a 137% increase in imagery of boys in 2022.

The NCA’s CEOP Education team have produced an article for parents and carers to understand why boys are less likely to speak out, and what you can do to support your child or young person.

Watch the video below from the police about a victim’s experience of online blackmail ‘sextortion’.

For parents, carers or other adults involved in a child’s life, it can be difficult to know what to say and do if they speak out about online blackmail and abuse. It’s important to listen, reassure and report. Try not to panic and remember the following:

• Don’t respond to demands and don’t pay up
• End all communication with the blackmailers, do not continue to message them
• Block the blackmailer on all platforms and change your password on all accounts
• Keep evidence. Keep a record of what has been happing. Take screenshots and save messages. This will help you to prove what has been happening when reporting.
• Blackmailers are breaking a number of laws so make sure to report any concerns to the police on 101, report it online or phone 999 in an emergency.

Remember:

One of the biggest barriers to a children speaking out about online abuse is the fear of being blamed or getting in trouble.  A supportive, non-judgemental adult response is essential. Using language or behaviour that suggests a child is responsible for the harm is victim blaming – and it can stop them from speaking up, deepen feelings of embarrassment, and make it harder for them to heal and recover.

• Having early, often and open conversations with a child or young person about their online activity can help them understand who to trust online and empower them to avoid or safely deal with inappropriate contact. Internet Matters provides lots of advice and tips about how to start the conversation

• Discuss how easy it is for someone to hide their identity online and the risks with sharing sexual messages, images, videos and/or livestreams with strangers or new online ‘friends’ that they don’t know in real life

• Help them to recognise and report inappropriate and unhealthy communication, this might include:
  • Engaging with strangers or ‘friends’ that they haven’t met offline
  • Conversations about sex or sexual activity
  • Receiving or requests for nudes, sexual videos or livestreams
  • Requests to share personal info and asking to meet up offline
  • Receiving gifts and money from someone they haven’t met
  • Someone forcing them to do things, including sexual activity
  • Anything that makes a child feel unsafe or uncomfortable

• Make sure that a child understands the basics:
  • Keep it private and don’t share sensitive, private of personal information online. Use privacy settings to protect their personal accounts and content
  • Keep their guard up, be careful about who they befriend online and be mindful that people online aren’t always who they say they are, predators and criminals are skilled at faking their identity! Be careful about who they befriend online.
  • Ignore, block, report and tell a trusted adult if anything upsets them or makes them feel uncomfortable online
  • Always avoid nudity and never share intimate and sexual images, videos or livestreams in online spaces. If a child has shared an image of themselves then encourage them to report it and seek help