What should I do if someone is threatening to share my nude photos?

Do not pay — paying rarely stops it and often leads to more demands. Stop responding, but do not delete anything: screenshot the threats, the account, and any usernames to preserve evidence. Block the person, lock down your social accounts (don't delete them), and report it to the platform and authorities. Adults can use StopNCII.org to have intimate images detected and removed; anyone who was under 18 in the image can use NCMEC's Take It Down. You are not alone, and it is not your fault.

Will paying a sextortionist make them stop?

Usually not. Paying signals you can be pressured and frequently leads to repeated, escalating demands. Experts including the FBI advise not to pay, to preserve evidence, and to report the extortion.

Being threatened with private photos?

Take a breath. You're going to be okay. This is a crime being done to you — it is not your fault, and you are not alone.

The single most important thing: do not pay, and do not send more images. Paying almost never makes it stop — it tells them you can be pressured, and the demands usually keep coming.

Do these 5 things now

Stop replying.

Don't argue, negotiate, or beg. Every reply is fuel. Silence is allowed.

Don't delete anything — screenshot it.

Capture the threats, their messages, their username/profile, and any links. This is evidence you'll need to report them.

Lock down — don't delete — your accounts.

Set your social profiles to private and tighten who can contact you. Deleting accounts can destroy evidence; locking them cuts off their reach.

Block them everywhere.

Block the account on every app they've used to reach you.

Tell one person you trust, and report it.

Carrying this alone is the worst part. Tell a friend, and use the free services below to report and remove the images.

Your situation — tap what applies

I already paid I was under 18 in the image They contacted my friends/family They've started sharing the images

If you already paid

You are still not alone, and you can still stop here. Do not pay again — stop now, keep all payment records as evidence, and report it. Many people pay once out of panic; what matters is the next step, not the last one.

If you were under 18 in the image

This is child sexual abuse material and law enforcement takes it extremely seriously — as the victim, you will be supported, not blamed. Use Take It Down (below) to get the images removed, and report to the NCMEC CyberTipline. Tell a trusted adult right away.

If they've contacted people you know

Get ahead of it: a short message to close friends/family like "Someone is trying to blackmail me with fake/private images and may message you — please don't engage with them, and let me know if they do" removes the scammer's power. Their threat only works while you're afraid of exposure.

If images are already being shared

Use StopNCII.org (adults) or Take It Down (if you were under 18) to hash the images so partner platforms detect and remove them. Report the posts directly to each platform as non-consensual intimate imagery — most remove it quickly.

Free services that actually help

StopNCII.org — image removal (adults 18+)

Creates a private digital fingerprint of your intimate images so partner platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bumble, Reddit and more) can detect and block them — without you uploading the images anywhere.

stopncii.org →

Take It Down (NCMEC)

Free service to remove or stop the spread of nude/sexual images of anyone who was under 18 in the image.

takeitdown.ncmec.org →

Report to authorities

U.S.: NCMEC CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org) and the FBI (ic3.gov). Elsewhere: your local police, and the INHOPE network (inhope.org) lists reporting hotlines in many countries.

report.cybertip.org →

If you're struggling emotionally

Sextortion can feel overwhelming — please don't face it alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), any time. Outside the U.S., findahelpline.com lists free, confidential support in your country.

findahelpline.com →

Check a suspicious message →

This guide is general safety information, not legal advice, and reflects guidance from organizations like the FBI and NCMEC as of June 2026. Services and procedures vary by country — when in doubt, contact your local police. Throat Theory builds verified, safety-first social tools for gay & bi men; one reason we exist is so this happens to fewer people in the first place.