Last Updated on August 13, 2025

One of the most common responses to sextortion on Facebook is to simply ignore it. Victims will delete messages or block the sextortionist in hopes that the criminal was making empty threats. However, this is not the most effective way to respond to sextortion. In many cases, ignoring the perpetrators will only make the situation worse. We’ve created a resource that addresses three of the most common questions about responding to sextortion: Do sextortionists follow through? Can sextortion ruin your life? And should you ignore sextortion on Facebook?

Do Sextortionists Follow Through on Facebook?

A 2023 survey found that 42% of sextortionists do follow through, even if the victim pays. This may look like an alarming number. However, the likelihood of exposure depends on many key factors. Take note of the following determinants.

• Vulnerability of the victim. Celebrities, politicians, and high net worth individuals are often targeted by sextortionists. Perpetrators are also more likely to make good on their threats toward these individuals since they heavily value their reputation.
• Targeted attacks. If a sextortionist is targeting you, they have likely invested time to research you and your close connections. This increases the likelihood that they’ll directly share the compromising content with those people if their demands are not met.
• Likelihood of compliance. Entertaining the attacker’s demands in messages or sending them money is never a good idea. Compliance of any kind will only bolster the criminal to continue sending their threats.
• Type of incriminating content. Some scammers will use AI deepfake technology to create fake explicit content to threaten victims. They may also threaten to use compromising content that does not clearly show your face or other identifiable features. This content is not as incriminating and can reduce the risk of exposure.
• Impulsiveness of the sextortionist. There is no telling how likely an anonymous sextortionist is to make good on their threat. These criminals can be impulsive and unpredictable, releasing the content out of anger or vindictiveness.
• The victim’s response. How the victim responds to the sextortionist can increase or decrease the likelihood of exposure. There are best practices victims can follow to protect themselves in case they are targeted. When it comes to the question of should you ignore sextortion on Facebook or not, it’s important to be proactive and strategic in your response.

Can Sextortion on Facebook Ruin Your Life?

It is possible for sextortion to ruin your life, but that is not often the case. Even in cases of exposure, there are tools that can quickly remove the content from certain platforms. However, sextortionists do want their victims to believe that they can ruin their lives. That’s why they will make malicious threats against the victim’s reputation to induce panic. It’s important to be aware of possible ramifications while also knowing the scare tactics sextortionists use.

Career

Sextortionists are aiming to cause extreme emotional distress and they will often threaten your career to cause that. Using LinkedIn or other investigative methods, they will look for co-workers or supervisors to coerce you into compliance. Public-facing careers, such as teachers and police officers, are also more vulnerable to sextortion. These careers value reputations and how they can reflect on their institutions.

Financial Ruin

Victims should never pay a sextortionist. Not only does it communicate that you have the money to pay, but it also signals that you are susceptible to their threats. Unfortunately, many victims pay the sextortionist to maintain their online reputation, losing thousands of dollars. There have been cases where victims have exhausted their life savings to appease sextortionists, with the demands continuing indefinitely.

Personal Relationships

The main threat that sextortionists will make is toward the victim’s relationship with family, friends, and peers. They will research the target to discover the online accounts of their close connections, threatening to send the explicit content directly to them. On Facebook, they may even create a group chat with your friends for more leverage. In many cases, perpetrators will send explicit content to some followers or in group chats before moving onto another target.

Should You Ignore Sextortion on Facebook?

Many victims feel compelled to completely ignore threats of sextortion out of extreme anxiety. They often will block the sextortionist on Facebook. However, this can lead to devastating consequences. Sextortionists can notice when they are blocked and may publicly expose the explicit content in retaliation.

So, should you ignore sextortion on Facebook? While not responding to the sextortionist is a good step, not taking any further action is a common mistake. There are additional steps you should take to ensure the incident is reported and protect yourself — even if exposure occurs.

What Should You Do When Facing Sextortion on Facebook?

We’ve covered whether you should ignore sextortion on Facebook or not. Now, let’s walk through what you should do when facing sextortion. Follow these steps to protect yourself and respond to sextortion effectively.

• Keep communication open with the criminal. When considering should you ignore sextortion on Facebook, it’s best to leave the line of communication open. However, you shouldn’t engage any of their demands. Instead, our experts suggest using delay tactics to stall for time while you connect with the proper experts.
• Preserve all the evidence. You need evidence of the sextortion in order to report the crime to law enforcement. You can take screenshots of messages, the profiles involved, and anything else that is relevant.
• Report the user on Facebook. Sextortion goes against Facebook’s community standards. Users can report the user on the platform along with posts or messages. Make sure to report the perpetrator, as it can lead to account removal.
• Notify the authorities. Your evidence can be used to file a report with local law enforcement. The report will be officially documentation of the crime, which can support future legal actions. You should also report the crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The FBI has federal jurisdiction and connections to law enforcement in other countries.
• Work with cybersecurity experts. Experts at private cybersecurity firms can work to protect the privacy of victims and mitigate the damage of any exposure. They also offer services to investigate and unmask the criminal responsible.
• Reach out for emotional support. Being a victim of sextortion is overwhelming to go through, especially on your own. It’s important to confide in a trusted friend, family member, or a counselor to alleviate some of the emotional burden of the incident.

Tulsa Victim Speaks Out: Should You Ignore Sextortion on Facebook?

In 2024, a woman named “Jane” received a text message from the hacker group that calls themselves “Anonymous”. The message demanded that she pay 1K Bitcoin within an hour or else they will post explicit images on her Facebook. There was also a file attached. Jane responded with “Whatever, you’re bluffing,” and clicked on the link. The link contained multiple images.

However, minutes later, the file appeared in the comments of her Facebook posts. Jane then deleted the comments and made her profile private. What Jane didn’t know is that clicking the link granted the hackers access to her device and any images on it. Jane decided to file a report with her local police department about the incident.

How to Protect Yourself on Facebook

Facebook provides multiple tools for users to prevent being targeted by sextortionists in the first place. You should also follow online safety practices to protect your privacy from scammers. Here is how you should protect yourself on Facebook.

• Lock down your account. Scammers will often scour the platform for possible targets. Make your account private to limit the exposure of your profile.
• Be cautious with friend requests. Catfishers will begin relationships with targets on Facebook with unsolicited friend requests and messages. You need to stay vigilant when accepting and responding to message requests.
• Adjust privacy settings. Facebook allows users to control who can message them or view their profile details, friends list, and posts.
• Avoid sharing intimate content. Sharing explicit content online is always a huge risk. Even though sexting is common, there is no telling what the person on the other end will do with the content. Even if you are messaging a significant other, a falling out can lead to sextortion years later.
• Strengthen security settings. Make sure your password is complex and two-factor authentication is enabled. You can also check if your password has been exposed by visiting Have I Been Pwned.

Last Updated on June 18, 2025

If you’re using Facebook, you need to be vigilant. Sextortion is growing at a rapid pace, and Facebook is one of the largest platforms for the crime. The social media giant is plagued with billions of fake accounts. In fact, Facebook estimates that 3% of their monthly active users are fake accounts. Though some of these fraudulent profiles are harmless, many of them are run by sextortionists just waiting to target their next victim. So, how do you protect yourself from Facebook sextortion, and how can you deal with it if you’re being targeted? Continue reading to find out.

How Does Sextortion on Facebook Work?

Sextortion is when a person threatens to expose someone else’s explicit images or videos unless the victim meets their demands. On Facebook, sextortionists will use a fake profile with stolen images or an account impersonating someone you know. They will initially use the profile to send you a friend request and a direct message, showing interest in you. Once you engage with their message, they begin spinning a deceptive web disguised as an authentic connection.

Gaining Your Trust

At this stage, the main goal of a sextortionist is to gain your trust. They will weaponize excessive flattery, provide constant attention, and fake emotional vulnerability to create the illusion of a deep connection. Mirroring is also a common manipulative tactic by perpetrators, adapting their interests, beliefs, and life experiences to match the victim’s.

After enough trust is built with the victim, they will attempt to fast-track the relationship to an intimate level and move the conversation off Facebook to instant messaging platforms. Many of these messaging platforms have less oversight, ensuring that there is no disruption to their scheme.

A Cruel Trick

This is when the sextortionist will suggest trading explicit images or videos, typically offering to go first to dispel any suspicions. However, this is their cruel trick. They lure unsuspecting users into sending explicit images or videos of themselves, at which point they drop their friendly façade and threaten to publicly expose the content. The only way they offer to keep the content private is if the victim meets their demands.

How To Deal with Facebook Sextortion

When your privacy is weaponized against you, it creates a sense of violation, betrayal, and fear that can have long-lasting effects. Victims may feel a loss of control over their own body image and personal life. If you are dealing with Facebook sextortion, you may feel isolated, helpless, and afraid. However, you can take back control. Here are some steps to take when facing sextortion.

• Do Not Cooperate: A sextortionist will have demands that they want you to meet. They will also expect a response to their threats. However, you should never comply with the perpetrator and instead cease communication when the threat of sextortion is made. Any further responses will only encourage the culprit to continue targeting you.
• Preserve Evidence: Cybercrime experts in law enforcement and private firms rely on evidence to perform an investigation. That’s why it’s essential to preserve the proof of sextortion. You can do this by taking screenshots of the messages and profiles used, along with anything else that is relevant to the case.
• Notify the Platform: Facebook has an anonymous, built-in system for reporting any behavior that violates their community standards. Threats of sextortion can be flagged on the platform, and in many cases, Facebook will respond by removing the account.
• Notify the Authorities: Local law enforcement is an essential resource for victims of sextortion. They can help you file an official complaint, which may be used to launch an investigation or serve as evidence in future court proceedings.

How Widespread Is Sextortion on Facebook?

Facebook has transformed into a hub of online activity, offering functions like Marketplace, Dating, and Groups for community building. However, all these features have also provided scammers with more ways to lure in potential victims. A key statistic comes from a 2024 Sextortion Study from Digital Forensic Corp.

The private security firm analyzed 1,000 sextortion cases in late December 2024. Of the sextortion cases that originated on social media platforms, 42% of them were traced back to Facebook. Sextortion has become one of the fastest growing cyber threats, and Facebook is one of the primary platforms used to commit the crime.

How Facebook Is Addressing the Rise in Sextortion

Meta has been combating sextortion and non-consensual intimate image abuse on their platform for close to a decade. In 2017, Meta partnered with Thorn to launch ‘Stop Sextortion’, a guide for sextortion victims, and to create educational articles about sextortion on Facebook’s Safety Center.

Meta also co-founded Lantern, the first cross platform signal-sharing program for online platforms to improve enforcement on child safety policies. The program brings tech companies together to investigate the activity of predators across platforms, allowing these platforms to uncover the full picture of harm.

Preventing the Spread of Intimate Image Abuse

Meta has taken many steps to fight intimate image abuse, but one of the most effective initiatives was supporting tools that proactively prevent the spread of nudes.

• For those under the age of 18, Meta co-founded the Take It Down tool, a platform run by the NCMEC to get rid of and prevent the reposting of CSAM on online platforms.
• For those over the age of 18, Meta has continued to support StopNCII.org, a tool created by the Revenge Porn Helpline to get rid of non-consensual intimate images and videos posted online.

Removing Fake Accounts

To reduce the number of scammers, Facebook is using automated systems to identify and get rid of fake accounts preemptively. In both the second and third quarters of 2024, they took action against over a billion fake accounts, many of them created with malicious intent.

Meta is also using investigative methods to discover malicious accounts before they can do harm. In the summer of 2024, Facebook found over 7,000 assets on the platform that were linked to a small group of Nigerian scammers. Despite all these efforts, Facebook sextortion has continued to rise and is only becoming more of a problem.

How to Stay Protected While Using Facebook

Facebook has been taking proactive steps to combat sextortion and scammers on their platform. They have also implemented many safety features to prevent scammers from reaching users. Consider the following tips on how to stay protected while using Facebook.

• Lock Down Your Account: Make sure your profile is set to private to limit who can view your posts. You can also limit who can send you friend requests by enabling the ‘Friends of Friends’ setting. Lastly, make sure your ‘Friends List’ is set to be viewed by ‘Only Me’. These privacy settings lower your risk of being targeted.
• Be Cautious with Friend Requests and Messages: Perpetrators will send unsolicited messages and friend requests to hundreds of people, looking for anyone to respond.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): If your password gets compromised, 2FA protects your account from being taken over. Make sure you have it enabled in your settings for extra protection.
• Stay Up to Date on Sextortion: Our blog at Cyber Investigation Inc. is full of educational articles that inform internet users of what they need to know about cybercrime. You’ll find valuable resources on how to prevent, respond to, and recover from sextortion as well as other common scams. Visit our blog to stay aware of the sextortion trends and the latest developments in cybercrime.

Last Updated on June 3, 2025

Many victims ask the question: “Can you sue someone for distributing your nudes without consent?” In most jurisdictions, the answer is yes. With the right support, you can pursue justice and limit the damage of your nudes being distributed.

It takes a team to unmask these scammers and bring them to justice. With the right professional assistance, you will have access to experienced cybercrime experts that can follow the digital trail left by the perpetrator and support your legal efforts.

Is It Illegal to Distribute Someone Else’s Nudes?

Where can you sue someone for distributing your nudes without your consent in the United States? Notable progress has been made at both the federal and state level when it comes to non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse, also commonly referred to as revenge porn. Nearly every state has passed laws against NCII abuse. However, there are nuances to the different state laws.

Understanding “Revenge Porn” and Non-Consensual Image Sharing Laws

Whether you can sue someone for distributing your nudes without consent or not depends on what jurisdiction you live in. The general legal definition of revenge porn is the intentional distribution of intimate images without consent. However, many states have minor variations in their definitions that can have a major impact on the legal process.

California requires an intent to cause emotional harm in their legal definition. On the other hand, New Jersey does not have that requisite. Another difference is in Ohio, where the legal definition of NCII abuse includes a requirement that the victim must be identifiable in the intimate content.

There are also sexual deepfakes that are being used for NCII abuse, and only 30 states have passed laws against non-consensual creation and distribution of deepfakes.  However, the TAKE IT DOWN act has recently been signed into law, making both deepfake and organic NCII abuse a federal offense.

Civil vs. Criminal Consequences

While criminal courts are for the government to punish citizens for behavior that violates the law, civil courts are used to resolve disputes between individuals or organizations. Revenge porn cases can involve either legal path. However, a lawsuit for unauthorized nude distribution often has a greater chance of success. Many victims sue their offenders for violation of privacy, for example.

Criminally, the punishments for non-consensual image sharing range from fines to years in prison. In Illinois, revenge porn is a felony, with those charged serving up to three years in prison. However, in Florida it is a misdemeanor. You should always consult with a legal professional for revenge porn legal help.

Platform Policies on Explicit Content

Social media and porn websites are commonly used for NCII abuse. With quick action, victims can remove their intimate content from the platform before it receives too much traffic. Most social media platforms have policies against non-consensual intimate image abuse, and victims can use these policies to protect themselves. You can report the scammer’s profile — along with the content they are attempting to distribute non-consensually — to the platform’s administrators.

Can You Sue Someone for Distributing Your Nudes?

We’ve established that you can sue someone for unauthorized distribution of your nudes in most places. However, identifying the criminal responsible is also an important step. This is why many cybercriminals protect their anonymity. Here are the three main factors to consider before you file a lawsuit for unauthorized nude distribution.

• Legal Grounds for a Lawsuit: Victims can sue for privacy violation, defamation, emotional duress, or violation of specific revenge porn laws, depending on the jurisdiction.
• Who Can be Held Liable: Sharing an intimate image that was sent to you is against the law. However, things can get complicated when it comes to resharing explicit content without consent. Not every state has clear laws about secondary distributors, which can make legal action unclear.
• Statute of Limitations: Typically ranging between one to four years, the statute of limitations also varies by jurisdiction. New York is a unique example. Victims have three years from the date the image was distributed non-consensually or one year from the date they discovered the image.

How Scammers Gain Access to Your Nudes

Of course, there are circumstances where perpetrators use the previous access they had to their former partner’s nudes for unauthorized distribution. However, many scammers are strangers, and they use digital tools to gain access to their victim’s nudes. There are four main methods that cybercriminal strangers use to gain unauthorized access to their victim’s nudes:

• Catfishing Scams: Using social media and online platforms, scammers will create false online personas to lure unsuspecting users into a sexually intimate relationship, eventually obtaining private, explicit material of the victim.
• Brute Force Attacks: Cybercriminals can gain access to your online accounts by using publicized login credentials from data breaches. They can use tools to try all possible combinations of usernames and passwords until one works.
• Using Malware: Many cybercriminals use malicious software — or malware — to access their target’s computer system or device. It is an effective tool to steal information and, in some cases, can even provide control over a device’s files and webcam.
• Phishing Scams: This is when scammers trick unsuspecting users into revealing sensitive information. Phishing scams often consist of the perpetrator posing as legitimate organizations on online platforms. They may spoof trusted emails, create fake profiles, or send text messages posing as trusted entities.

What To Do If Someone Has Your Nudes

If someone has your nudes, you need to assess the potential risks. Ask yourself questions like whether these people are dangerous to you, if they obtained these nudes non-consensually, and what you should do if someone has your nudes. There may be signs that the people with your nudes are willing to distribute them without your consent.

For example, the person may make demands in exchange for keeping your nudes private. Or the person may be a cybercriminal that gained access to your nudes illegally. If you think that your nudes are in danger of being distributed without your consent, you need to take action to protect yourself. You can sue someone for the unauthorized distribution of your nudes, but there are also many other ways to tackle NCII abuse.

Preserve Evidence

Preserving evidence is an essential practice when seeking justice against your offender. You will need solid evidence to file a lawsuit or if you want the perpetrator arrested. However, if the offender obtained your nudes consensually, legal actions available may be limited unless they distribute the nudes or explicitly state their intent to do so. Many cases of NCII abuse consist of a prior relationship and messages exchanged between the victim and perpetrator. Make sure to take screenshots, save messages, and document everything before it’s deleted.

Report to Platforms and Authorities

Law enforcement is a valuable resource for victims of NCII abuse. Local authorities can take action against known perpetrators and launch an investigation into anonymous ones.

Online platforms — like social media and dating apps — typically have reporting systems in place to address any behavior that goes against their community guidelines. Victims can use these tools to report NCII content or scams from cybercriminals.

Consult a Lawyer Specializing in Privacy or Cyber Law

Before you sue someone for the unauthorized distribution of your nudes, you should always work with a legal professional. A professional attorney can advise you on your legal options. They are vital to have at your side when taking action such as a restraining order or suing for privacy violation. They can also provide revenge porn legal help for DMCA takedown requests.

Contact Cyber Investigation Inc. for Support

You don’t have to experience NCII abuse alone. Cyber Investigation Inc. has a team of digital investigators who work with you to prevent any further violations of your privacy. We specialize in removing non-consensual content quickly off the internet. We also use digital forensics to analyze the data left by the perpetrator and unmask their identity. Our experts work alongside you through every step of the process, even collaborating with your attorney or local law enforcement.

How Cyber Investigation Inc. Helps Victims of NCII Abuse

Our experts have a well-established track record in the cyber field. They are highly skilled at protecting the privacy of cybercrime victims and identifying the responsible perpetrators. Here is a look at the services we provide.

• Uncovering Identities Through Digital Forensics: We have a team of forensic analysts dedicated to following the perpetrator’s digital footprint. From tracing IP addresses to metadata analysis, we can discover the geolocation of the criminal responsible and — eventually — their identity.
• Content Takedown and Disclosure Prevention: By working with online platforms like social media or search engines, we can quickly work to remove any NCII abuse on the internet. We can also assist in filing a DMCA takedown notice to any website that fails to respond to our requests.
• Supporting Legal Action with Evidence: Whether you are suing for privacy violation or damages, a lawsuit for unauthorized nude distribution can be a lengthy process and the same can be said about criminal cases. You will need solid evidence to support any legal action you take, and we can provide our digital investigation as evidence against the offender.

Real Case Example: A Meteorologist Possessing a Victim’s Sexually Explicit Content

Josh Fitzpatrick, a former Virginia meteorologist, was accused of filming a consensual sexual encounter without the victim’s knowledge and attempting to intimidate the victim with warnings that he would release the footage. The victim went to the police and the authorities began investigating the meteorologist. Fitzpatrick left his job and fled to Ohio once he learned about the investigation. However, in April 2025, Ohio law enforcement caught Fitzpatrick and is holding him for extradition to Virginia. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Don’t Stay Silent: Take Legal Action and Protect Your Future

People who experience NCII abuse typically just want the problem to go away. They may ignore the issue and avoid reporting the abuse to the authorities. Not only does this response empower cybercriminals, but it also gives them free rein to damage your online reputation.

Victims must act quickly in the face of any abuse to report the explicit content and hold the offender accountable. However, pursuing legal action requires the offender to be identifiable, and that’s where Cyber Investigation Inc. can help. Whether you are facing revenge porn or someone who has your nudes, we can work to trace the digital footprint of the perpetrator and unmask their identity.

If someone has distributed your private photos without your consent, you don’t have to face it alone. Contact Cyber Investigation Inc. today to start your fight for justice and privacy.

Last Updated on November 9, 2023

In this article we’ll discuss Is Sextortion Illegal in Ohio? In today’s digital age, sextortion has become an all-too-common occurrence. It is a cruel and unethical form of blackmailing someone with sexually explicit content. Unfortunately, many people fall prey to this crime, and the aftermath of it can be traumatizing.

Continue reading Is Sextortion Illegal in Ohio?

Last Updated on October 30, 2023

The internet has brought about a lot of great things, but like everything else in life, it has its downsides, too. One of those downsides is the rise of online sexual extortion or “sextortion.” Sextortion is a heinous crime where perpetrators use sexually explicit images or videos to blackmail victims into giving them money or other forms of compensation. It can happen to anyone, regardless of their age or gender, and the consequences are often devastating. In this post, we will discuss some ways you can protect yourself and how to stop sextortion if it happens to you.

Continue reading How can I stop sextortion?

Last Updated on October 30, 2023

Blackmail is an act of extorting money or any other advantage from someone by threatening to reveal embarrassing, incriminating, or damaging information about them. It’s an immoral and illegal activity that can have serious consequences. But is blackmail illegal in Missouri like it is in most other states? Let’s explore this question in detail.

Continue reading Is blackmail illegal in Missouri?

Last Updated on October 30, 2023

With the rise of the internet and social media, sextortion has become a prevalent crime that affects people of all ages. This type of online crime involves threatening someone with the release of sexual content or images if they do not meet the demands of the perpetrator. If you’re a victim of sextortion and wondering what your next step should be, keep reading to find out who you should reach out to for help.

Continue reading Where to report sextortion?

Last Updated on October 30, 2023

Sextortion is an online crime that can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or socio-economic background. It is a form of extortion that uses sexual content as a tool to threaten, intimidate, and manipulate people into giving in to the criminal’s demands. Sextortion can be devastating to its victims, causing them emotional and psychological distress, financial ruin, and even suicide. The good news is that you can take measures to protect yourself from sextortion. This article will provide you with tips and advice on how to get rid of sextortion.

Continue reading How to get rid of sextortion?