If a teen is being blackmailed over images, the first moves are simple: do not pay or comply before getting help, block the person but keep the messages and profile, report the account on the platform, and contact NCMEC for free support. The teen is not to blame. The blackmailer is committing a crime.
Say the most important thing first
Teens often stay quiet because they are ashamed. NCMEC's guidance for teens leads with one line: it is not your fault, and the blackmailer is to blame. If you are the parent, say that out loud before you ask a single question. A child who feels judged tends to stop talking, and the person making threats counts on exactly that.
Keep your voice level. Panic from an adult can read as anger to a frightened teenager.
The first steps, in order
NCMEC lists these actions for teens, and they work as a family checklist too:
- Do not pay or give in to demands without getting help first. NCMEC says paying or complying rarely ends the threats.
- Report the account using the platform's own safety feature.
- Block the person, but keep your profile and the messages. Deleting them can make it harder to stop the blackmailer.
- Use Take It Down, a free NCMEC service, to get explicit images removed. There is a separate post on how Take It Down works.
- Ask a trusted adult or professional for help.
Notice step three. The instinct is to delete everything and hope it goes away. The guidance says to keep the evidence.
Where to get help
NCMEC says a teen without a trusted adult can email gethelp@ncmec.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST. Its 24-hour call center is 1-800-843-5678, and its Team HOPE program connects families with peers who have been through something similar. NCMEC also points parents to a tip sheet called "Sextortion: What Parents Should Know".
The FTC's page on cryptocurrency and scams covers blackmail too: it advises not paying and reporting the threat to the FBI. The FBI's IC3 site is ic3.gov.
What to avoid
- Do not keep negotiating with the person. Every reply gives them more to work with.
- Do not punish the teen for what they shared. The goal is to keep them talking to you.
- Do not post the images anywhere, even to prove a point. Take It Down notes that posting content after submitting it can get an account flagged.
- Do not send the images to anyone, including to a helper, unless an official channel asks you to.
After the first day
Once the immediate threat is handled, review account privacy settings together, and talk about how the contact started. Treat that as learning, not an interrogation. Consider whether the teen needs someone to talk to besides you. Stress after these events is common, and a counsellor or doctor can help.
For the wider habit of keeping lines of communication open, see seven tips for keeping children safe online.
Quick check
Should we delete the chat so nobody can see it?
No. NCMEC advises blocking the person but keeping your profile and the messages, because deleting them can make it harder to stop the blackmailer.
Will paying make it stop?
NCMEC says paying or complying rarely ends the threats. Get help before you decide anything.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
