Report Facebook Messenger Sextortion and Get Expert Help Today

Sextortion is when someone threatens to publicly expose a victim’s explicit images or videos unless their demands are met. While most perpetrators are financially motivated, they may make other types of demands as well.

With Facebook Messenger sextortion, offenders will hide behind anonymity to lure unsuspecting users into a trap. They will often deceive potential victims into sharing explicit content or clicking malicious links that grant access to their personal data.  Sextortionists are liars and will pose as legitimate entities or highly desirable individuals to gain the trust of their targets.

Being a victim of Facebook Messenger sextortion can be an emotionally distressing experience. It’s understandable to want to ignore the threat. However, quick and decisive action can make all the difference in how the situation ends. Use the following steps as a guide on how to immediately protect yourself when facing Facebook Messenger sextortion.

1. Preserve evidence. Before you take any action, make sure you take screenshots of messages, profiles, and any relevant evidence of the sextortion. This way, you always have proof of the crime.
2. Do not give in to the demands. Complying with the criminal will not end the sextortion. Instead, the perpetrator will see it as a sign that they should continue the scheme because their threats are working.
3. Stop all communication. After the threat is made, sextortionists will attempt to intimidate and pressure you with constant threats. While refusing their demands outright can lead to the perpetrator exposing your content in retaliation, compliance will only escalate the situation further. It’s best to stop all communication with the criminal immediately until you speak to law enforcement or cybercrime experts.
4. Report the Facebook account on Messenger. You can report a specific message or a profile for violating Facebook’s community standards. The platform has a history of taking action against reported accounts.
5. Notify local law enforcement. Report the sextortion to your local authorities and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). They can officially record the crime and launch an investigation into who is responsible.
6. Change your privacy settings. Facebook Messenger allows users to control who can message them and who can’t. You can also turn off your activity status and read receipts, so that other users won’t be able to see when you’re online or have viewed a message. Users should review these settings to ensure their privacy is being prioritized.
7. Update your security settings. If you’re being targeted by a cybercriminal in sextortion, you need to make sure your accounts are secure as well. The security settings for Facebook Messenger are in the “Meta Account Center”. You can update your password, enable two-factor authentication, and review your account recovery information. The platform also allows you to check if any unauthorized devices currently have access to your account.

Having your privacy violated and maliciously used against you is difficult. And in cases of exposure, it can be devastating. However, even when the sextortionist makes good on their threat, there are still ways to mitigate the damage and maintain your online reputation.

Online platforms and organizations have created tools to help victims of image-based sexual abuse after the event of exposure. If you’re concerned about your intimate content being leaked, take note of these resources:

• Report to online platforms. Most popular online platforms have a policy against non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse. They also have a reporting system to identify and remove NCII content quickly. For example, Google allows users to request the removal of certain webpages based on NCII abuse.
• Use a content removal service. Take It Down is a free tool that helps minors remove NCII abuse from online platforms. The tool allows users to submit explicit content that may be shared without their consent and marks the content with a unique number. Platforms that have partnered with the tool, like Facebook and Reddit, use this number to identify and prevent the content from being uploaded or remove it if it is already published. For adults who are victims of NCII abuse, there is a similar tool available at StopNCII.org.
• Reach out for emotional support. Sextortionists want to isolate you from family and friends, using the threat of sending your explicit content to them to scare you. However, facing sextortion on your own is emotionally draining and overwhelming. As hard as it may feel, opening up to a trusted friend, family member, or counselor can help alleviate the emotional burden and undermines the sextortionist’s leverage.

Sextortionists are unpredictable and angering them in any way can put your private information at risk. Actions like calling their bluff, denying their demands, or even blocking their account can trigger a retaliatory response. Instead, use the platform’s reporting system to help get the criminal’s account removed anonymously.

Users should report instances of Facebook Messenger sextortion directly to the platform’s administrators. Here is how to report threatening messages on Messenger.

• To report an interaction on mobile, press and hold a message until a menu appears. Select “More” and then “Report”. From there, choose the option that best fits your situation.
• To report an interaction on a computer, look for the three dots next to a message. Then, click on “Report” and choose the option that describes your situation the best.

Your local law enforcement is an essential resource for all victims of sextortion. They can help you file a police report, officially documenting the crime and evidence. The local authorities can also launch an investigation to discover who is responsible for the crime.

However, the local police do have restrictions. They only have authority over their local jurisdiction, and they also need a real identity to pursue a suspect. The police also can have a high caseload, which can cause a delay in their response — even when you’re under immediate threat.

This is why it’s important to report sextortion to the FBI’s IC3, the national center for reporting cybercrime as well. The IC3 has jurisdiction over the nation and can work with law enforcement agencies in other countries to bring sextortionists to justice. You can report the sextortion to the IC3 by visiting your local field office or on their website.

Many organizations have been created to combat sextortion and support victims. Here are some organizations that offer free resources to help victims recover from sextortion.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The NCMEC is a non-profit that was created to help exploited minors. The organization created the CyberTipline for users to report sextortion threats against minors or child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that has been posted online.

Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Dr. Holly Jacobs founded the CCRI in 2013 after she was a victim of non-consensual intimate image abuse. She created the organization to provide emotional and legal support to other victims, including those threatened with sextortion. They have a 24/7 hotline for victims and educational resources on their website.