Sextortion in Australia: What to Do If Someone Threatens You

This page is for anyone in Australia being threatened with the release of an intimate image or video, real or fake, unless they pay money or send more images. It covers what to do now, who to report to, what eSafety and police can do, and the federal law, as at 25 October 2026. For the state and territory laws on sharing or threatening to share intimate images, see our page on deepfake and intimate image laws in Australia. For other scam types, see the Australian scams hub.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.

First: take a breath

eSafety's message to people in this situation is: "take a breath and know this: it's not your fault. It can happen to anyone and you're not alone." Sextortion relies on panic and embarrassment, and it is often run as a script used on many people at once. eSafety's Commissioner has said its investigators keep seeing the same scripts and images used across multiple sexual extortion scams.

You are not the only one. eSafety received more than 2,000 complaints about sexual extortion between 1 July and 31 December 2025, with young men aged 18 to 24 the most affected, according to a 2026 eSafety media release.

What sextortion is

eSafety defines it as "a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video of you unless you give in to their demands." The demand is usually money, crypto, gift cards or game credits, or more sexual content. eSafety describes several ways it happens:

• A fake profile ("catfishing"). Someone posing as an attractive person moves you quickly to a private app, sends a "sexy pic" they say is them, and gets you to send an image or records you on a video call.
• A false hacking claim. Someone says they found intimate images on your device or account, sometimes quoting an old password or personal details to seem convincing. eSafety says "Usually it's a scam to get money and they don't really have access to your device or account." These often arrive as bulk emails.
• A fake or AI-made image. Someone uses AI to "nudify" a photo or swap a face, then threatens to share the fake.
• Grooming. Someone builds what feels like a close relationship, then threatens to make images public unless you send more. eSafety notes that any sexual activity between a child and an adult, including sextortion, is child sexual abuse.
• Someone close. A partner or former partner may threaten to share an image to control you. eSafety identifies this as a form of coercive control.

Warning signs eSafety lists include a profile that does not match what you see on a call, someone moving very quickly to a private channel or a sexual video call, excuses that their webcam is not working, and pressure to send nudes with your face in the shot.

What to do right now

1. Stop contact and do not pay

eSafety's first step is to "Stop all contact and do not pay the blackmailer or give them more money or intimate content." Do not believe a promise to delete the image. eSafety says that if you give them what they want, "they will just keep asking for more," and the ACCCE says: "Once you pay the first time, they will ask you to pay again."

The reassuring part, in eSafety's words: "Blackmailers usually give up when they realise you won't pay and they'll move onto their next target."

2. Collect evidence before you block

Save a record of:

• every message from the blackmailer, especially the demands and threats
• how they contacted you, such as the profile web address or their usernames on each platform
• dates and times of contact
• details about them, such as a bank account, payment handle or phone number they gave you
• any reports you have made to platforms or police

Screenshots, screen recordings, or photos of your screen taken with another device all work. eSafety says to include the threatening messages and the blackmailer's profile, and not to send your images or videos to any other service.

3. Block, lock down and do not delete

After you have the evidence, block the blackmailer and ask friends to do the same, since blackmailers sometimes try to friend or follow people around you to seem real. You can temporarily deactivate your accounts, but eSafety says not to delete them, "as you may lose evidence that way." Review your privacy and security settings to limit who can contact you, and change your passwords if you think an account was accessed.

4. Tell someone you trust

eSafety recommends telling a friend or family member, who "can usually help you think clearly." Free, confidential 24/7 support is also available:

• Kids Helpline, for people 25 or younger: 1800 55 1800 (call or chat online)
• Lifeline, for people 18 or older: 13 11 14 (call, text or chat)

Who to report to

Scamwatch says sextortion "is a serious crime, and you should report it to the police immediately," and its reporting page says that if someone has "tried to extort you" you can make a police report through ReportCyber. You can also report the scam to Scamwatch; see how to report a scam in Australia.

If you are under 18

The ACCCE says: "If you are under the age of 18 and this has happened to you (or another young person you know), you are a victim of online child sexual abuse." Its message to young people is clear: "It is important to know you will not be in trouble with law enforcement." The ACCCE advises stopping the chat, taking screenshots of the messages and the offender's profile, blocking and reporting the account to the platform, not paying, and not sending more images.

What eSafety can and cannot do

eSafety describes its role as helping "remove the content or stop the threats." If your intimate image or video is shared online, eSafety says "we can help get it removed." Its image-based abuse scheme, including removal notices and penalties, is explained on our deepfake and intimate image laws page.

eSafety does not describe itself as recovering money or prosecuting offenders. Getting money back is a matter for your bank or payment provider, and criminal investigation is for police. For under 18s, eSafety says the best route is the ACCCE.

Stop an image being uploaded

You can block a specific image or video from being uploaded to participating platforms without sending it to anyone. The tool creates a digital fingerprint (a "hash") on your device, and the platforms use it to detect matching uploads. eSafety points to:

• Take It Down if you are under 18 (NCMEC, which runs it, says it also covers images taken of you when you were under 18)
• StopNCII.org if you are 18 or older

You need a copy of the image or video to use these tools.

If you have already paid

Many people pay before they find this advice. That does not make it your fault, and it does not mean you should keep paying. eSafety says: "If you transferred money from a bank account, contact your bank to see if they can help," and "If you have paid by a money transfer, you may be able to cancel it if you act quickly." For MoneyGram, eSafety says people in Australia should call 1800 049 087 immediately.

Then follow the steps above: stop contact, keep evidence, report. If the blackmailer asked you to receive or pass on money for them, stop and read money mule scams in Australia. For bank complaints and other recovery routes, see how to get money back after a scam.

The law

eSafety states plainly that "Catfishing, scamming, grooming or blackmailing someone is a crime." Which offence applies depends on the facts, where you and the offender are, and what police and prosecutors decide; this page does not predict a charge.

One federal offence relevant to threatening messages sent online is section 474.17 of the Criminal Code (Cth), using a carriage service (such as the internet or a phone network) to menace, harass or cause offence. It applies where the person uses the service "in a way (whether by the method of use or the content of a communication, or both) that reasonable persons would regard as being, in all the circumstances, menacing, harassing or offensive." The maximum penalty is imprisonment for 5 years.

A separate federal offence, section 474.17A, covers transmitting sexual material without consent, including deepfakes, and states and territories have their own offences for sharing or threatening to share intimate images. Those are covered on our deepfake and intimate image laws in Australia page. Material depicting someone under 18 is treated as child abuse material, which is why the ACCCE handles those reports.

Whatever happens with any prosecution, the practical steps (do not pay, keep evidence, report, get the image blocked or removed) are what protect you now.

Helping someone else

If a friend, partner or child tells you this is happening, the most useful thing is to stay calm and avoid blame. eSafety's steps work for helpers too: help them stop contact, save evidence, report, and get support. Scamwatch's advice for helping anyone through a scam applies here: "Never ridicule or make fun of someone's circumstances." eSafety also publishes guidance for parents, carers and educators supporting young people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I pay a sextortion blackmailer?

No. eSafety says to stop all contact and not pay or send more content, and the ACCCE says that once you pay, they will ask you to pay again. eSafety says blackmailers usually give up and move on when they realise you will not pay.

Will they really share my photos if I do not pay?

Nobody can promise either way, but eSafety says blackmailers usually give up when they realise you will not pay. If an image is shared, report it to eSafety, which can help get it removed, and use Take It Down or StopNCII.org to block it from participating platforms.

I am under 18. Will I get in trouble for reporting?

The ACCCE says you will not be in trouble with law enforcement. It treats a young person in this situation as a victim of online child sexual abuse. Report through the ACCCE website and talk to someone you trust or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

Can eSafety get my money back?

eSafety's role is removing intimate content and stopping threats, not recovering money. For money, contact your bank or the money transfer service straight away, and report the crime to police.

I got an email saying someone hacked my webcam and has a video of me. Is it real?

Usually not. eSafety says that when someone claims to have found intimate images on your device, it is usually a scam to get money and they do not really have access. Do not pay, do not reply, and change your passwords if the email quotes one you still use.

Should I delete my social media accounts?

No. eSafety suggests you can temporarily deactivate accounts to stop harassment, but not delete them, because you may lose evidence.

Is sextortion a crime in Australia?

Yes. Scamwatch calls it a serious crime and says to report it to police immediately. Federal offences include using a carriage service to menace or harass (Criminal Code s 474.17, up to 5 years), and states and territories have their own intimate image laws.

What if the image is fake or made with AI?

It is still sextortion and you can still report it. eSafety lists AI nudify and face-swap images among the tactics blackmailers use. Our deepfake and intimate image laws page explains how the law treats altered images.