INSTAGRAM SEXTORTION — REPORT IT AND GET HELP NOW

Sextortion on Instagram involves a cybercriminal coaxing their victim into sending intimate images before leveraging the content to coerce compliance. The ease of sharing photos on the platform — as well as access to their target’s connections — has made Instagram a popular avenue for sextortion.

A sextortionist typically sends a follow request from a fabricated profile depicting an attractive individual around the target’s age. They study your profile and use your interests to gain your trust before proposing the idea of sharing nudes. They may even send you a fake photo to ease your reservations.

However, this all changes the second you press send. Once they have your content, the façade drops, and the threats ensue. The sextortionist claims they will send your nudes to your family, friends, professional connections, and potentially the entire platform unless you pay them.

Sextortion can happen to any Instagram user, regardless of age, race, gender, or social status. All users should take preventative measures to avoid falling victim. Here are some practices that can help keep you safe on Instagram.

• Use Heightened Privacy Settings: Unless you are using your Instagram account for commercial reasons, the risks outweigh the rewards of a public profile. Set your account to private and limit which users can reach you through direct messages.
• Avoid Oversharing: You should be extremely cautious if you choose to send nudes online. Even a confirmed, trusted recipient is capable of misusing your content. Furthermore, you should never share personal information in your posts or private messages.
• Assess Your Followers: It takes mere minutes to set up a fake profile on Instagram. In 2024 alone, Instagram’s parent company, Meta, removed over two million fake users across their platforms. Make sure to confirm that your new online connection is actually who they say they are.
• Trust Your Instincts: Your intuition is a strong tool. If something feels weird about your online interaction — even if you can’t quite pinpoint what is off — it’s best to cut off the conversation.

As we said, sextortion can happen to anyone. Even the most tech-savvy user can fall victim with one moment of misjudgment. Follow these steps if you are facing sextortion:

• Don’t Pay the Sextortionist: Paying a sextortionist will not make them go away and is likely to encourage further demands. You should stop conversing with the criminal but avoid blocking them. This can result in the loss of critical evidence and trigger a retaliatory release of your content.
• Gather Evidence: You will want as much proof as you can have when reporting and combating Instagram sextortion. Take screenshots of any relevant data — including profiles, messages, shared content, and timestamps.
• Notify the Proper Authorities: With the evidence you’ve gathered, inform Instagram of the incident to help them remove the sextortionist’s profile. You should also report the incident to law enforcement. Start by filing a report with your local police and follow up with the FBI if the situation requires it.

You should report Instagram sextortion and other cybercrimes to the system administrator. To report an account on Instagram:

1. Open the account and select the three dots next to their username
2. Select the “Report” option from the menu
3. Follow the on-screen instructions and select the option closest to your situation
4. Submit your report

You should also inform law enforcement. To inform your local police, you can file a report in person by going to the station. Some precincts also allow victims to report crimes online or over the phone.

If the crime expands past their jurisdiction, you should next notify the FBI. You can report cybercrime to the FBI by visiting your local field office, calling 1-800-CALL-FBI, or online through the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Unfortunately, there isn’t a cut-and-dried answer to this question. It’s impossible to say for certain whether a sextortionist will follow through on their threats, but there are factors that can sway the likelihood.

Factors That May Lead a Sextortionist to Follow Through:

• Targets with high social status, net worth, and more to lose if their reputation is tarnished.
• Targets who have display either a willingness to comply or extreme confrontation when met with threats.

Factors That May Deter a Sextortionist from Following Through:

• Risk of losing leverage over the situation by releasing the content they are holding over their victim’s head.
• Fear of getting caught either from their additional criminal behavior or your collaboration with law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals.

The CI team has years of experience combatting sextortion. We’ve successfully helped thousands of people resolve their issues and regain control. We can follow the cybercriminals digital footprint and uncover their true identity.

We document the entire investigation to maintain the chain of custody, and our connections with law enforcement around the globe can help you find an agency with the jurisdiction to pursue your sextortionist. Even after your case has been resolved, we can still be of service by providing ongoing monitorization against future threats.