“Sextortion is when someone threatens to share intimate details, sexual images, or videos of you online if you don’t meet their demands."

So.... What do I do when it happens to me or my child?

• If you are ready, reach out to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or report the crime online at tips.fbi.gov. Our agents see these cases a lot and have helped thousands of young people. Our goals are to stop the harassment, arrest the person behind the crime, and help you get the support you need.
  
  If you’re not feeling ready to speak to the FBI, go to another trusted adult. Say you are being victimized online and need help. Talking about this can feel impossible, but there are people who can help. You are not the one in trouble.

How can I prevent this sort of thing from happening???

• Your generation can be the generation that shuts down these criminals. Awareness and sensible safety practices online, along with a willingness to ask for help, can put an end to this exploitation.
  
  The FBI agents who work on these cases want you to know these six things:
  
  1. Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
  
  2. Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
  
  3. Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
  
  4. Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and this person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
  
  5. Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually "disappears" online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
  
  6. Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone.