Sextortion: A Growing Threat Targeting Minors
Washington, D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691
January 16, 2024
Sextortion: A Growing Threat Targeting Minors
Offenders deceive and manipulate victims to create sexually explicit material for extortion purposes.
The FBI wants to warn parents, educators, caregivers, and children about the dangers of online activity that may lead to the solicitation and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual acts.
Sextortion involves an offender coercing a minor to create and send sexually explicit images or video. An offender gets sexually explicit material from the child, then threatens to release that compromising material unless the victim produces more. These offenders are seeking sexual gratification.
Financially motivated sextortion is a criminal act that involves an offender coercing a minor to create and send sexually explicit material. Offenders threaten to release that compromising material unless they receive payment, which is often requested in gift cards, mobile payment services, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. These offenders are motivated by financial gain, not necessarily just sexual gratification.
Victims are typically males between the ages of 14 to 17, but any child can become a victim. For financially motivated sextortion, offenders are usually located outside the United States and primarily in west African countries such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast, or Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines.
These crimes can lead victims to self-harm and has led to suicide. From October 2021 to March 2023, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors. The sextortion involved at least 12,600 victims—primarily boys—and led to at least 20 suicides.
In the six-month period from October 2022 to March 2023, the FBI observed at least a 20% increase in reporting of financially motivated sextortion incidents involving minor victims compared to the same time period the previous year.
“The consequences of sextortion are being felt across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "In an effort to protect the American public, the FBI encourages parents, educators, caregivers, and children to learn more about the steps they can take to shield themselves and their loved ones from this crime. We and our partners will relentlessly pursue criminals who perpetuate this deplorable activity."
If you or someone you know believes that they are a victim of sextortion or financially motivated sextortion, immediately report the activity to law enforcement. You can report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or visiting tips.fbi.gov.
For more information on sextortion and financial sextortion, visit the FBI’s resources on the threats at fbi.gov/sextortion and fbi.gov/financialsextortion.
The Financially Motivated Sextortion Threat
The FBI this week issued a new warning about an evolving online threat targeting minors and young adults: financially motivated sextortion.
Financially Motivated Sextortion
Sextortion is a crime that involves adults coercing kids and teens into sending explicit images online. The FBI has several resources to help caregivers and young people better understand what sextortion is, how to protect against it, and how to talk about this growing and devastating threat.
Sextortion: What Kids and Caregivers Need to Know
Sextortion is a crime that involves adults coercing kids and teens into sending explicit images online. The FBI has several resources to help caregivers and young people better understand what sextortion is, how to protect against it, and how to talk about this growing and devastating threat.
Related Posts:
FBI Portland To Host In-Person Recruiting Event September 07, 2022 — Rob Taylor Report
FBI Portland Division ~ Smart TVs Can Spy on You & Your Family — Rob Taylor Report
FBI Releases Statewide and National Hate Crime Report for 2020
Summary of Terrorism Threat to the U.S. Homeland
Oregon FBI Accepting Applications for Its 2021 Fall Citizens Academy Program
IRS Criminal Investigation Sees Surge in Scams Tied to Economic Impact Payments
FBI ~ 2019 Preliminary Semiannual Crime Statistics Overview
FBI Oregon Digital Defense Against Smart Device Swatting
The Oregon State Police to Utilize Oregon National Guard at State Capitol