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What to do if…
your child is being blackmailed or threatened online for sexual images or money

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Stay with your child, tell them they are not in trouble, and do not pay or send anything. Save the non-explicit account details and threats, report to NCMEC’s CyberTipline, and call 911 if there is immediate danger or an imminent in-person threat.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t pay, send gift cards or crypto, or bargain to end it; paying or complying may lead to more demands.
  • Don’t punish your child or make sudden threats to take away everything; shame and fear can make it harder for them to tell you what is happening.
  • Don’t forward, download, screenshot, or re-share sexual images of a minor, and don’t create extra copies.
  • Don’t send more images, money, codes, passwords, or live video.
  • Don’t argue with, threaten, or try to expose the blackmailer yourself.
  • Don’t delete the account, profile, chats, or messages yet; non-explicit identifiers and threat messages may help reporting.

What to do now

  1. Get to a calmer, safer pause. Sit with your child, keep your voice steady, and say: “You’re safe with me. You’re not in trouble. We’ll handle the next step together.” If there is immediate danger, a threat to come to your child’s location, or a threat to hurt anyone now, call 911.

  2. Check what the person may know. Ask only what you need for safety: whether the person knows your child’s real name, school, address, phone number, friends, or location, and whether they are trying to meet in person. If there is an imminent meeting or credible physical threat, call 911.

  3. Write down non-explicit details. Record the platform or app, usernames, handles, display names, profile links, dates and times, what was demanded, and any payment details such as gift card type, payment app username, email address, phone number, or wallet address. If screenshots are needed, capture only threat messages, profile pages, usernames, and payment demands; do not screenshot explicit images of a minor.

  4. Report in the app, then block. Use the platform’s report flow for sexual exploitation, blackmail, harassment, or threats involving a minor. After reporting and saving the non-explicit identifiers, block the account. Do not delete the profile, account, or messages yet.

  5. Report to NCMEC’s CyberTipline. File a CyberTipline report for suspected child sexual exploitation or sextortion. NCMEC reviews reports and may make information available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency.

  6. Use Take It Down if images may exist or be shared. Take It Down can help with nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images or videos taken before age 18 on participating public or unencrypted platforms. Use only images or videos already on your child’s device; do not ask anyone to send, download, or share the image.

  7. If money was sent, contact the provider now. Call the bank, card issuer, payment app, gift card company, or crypto platform and ask whether the transfer can be stopped, recalled, frozen, or flagged as fraud. Save receipts and transaction IDs.

  8. Consider additional reporting support. If the threat is ongoing, you can contact local police or the FBI in addition to the CyberTipline. If peers from school are involved, or your child cannot safely attend school, contact the school counselor, administrator, or student safety staff and share only immediate safety facts, never images.

What can wait

  • You don’t have to decide tonight whether to tell extended family, confront anyone, post publicly, or take away devices long-term.
  • You don’t need a full device investigation right now.
  • You don’t need perfect documentation before making a CyberTipline report.
  • You don’t have to decide every school, legal, or therapy step in this moment.

Important reassurance

These threats are designed to create panic, shame, and silence. Your child telling you is a protective step. Even if your child shared something, the responsibility belongs to the person threatening and exploiting them.

Scope note

These are first steps only, meant to reduce immediate harm and connect you with specialist reporting and support. Later decisions about law enforcement, school safety, platform escalation, and emotional support may need help from appropriate professionals.

Important note

This guide is general information, not legal, medical, financial, therapeutic, or other professional advice. If a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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