First, breathe. You're going to be okay. This is one of the most common online crimes in the world, and the people who do it are running a script. Follow the steps below and the situation almost always loses its power fast.
Do these things first
- Stop replying. Every message gives them more leverage.
- Do not pay. Paying rarely ends it — it marks you as someone who pays.
- Save the evidence. Screenshot the threats, usernames, and any payment demands.
- Lock down your accounts. Make profiles private and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Tell someone you trust, or a professional.
What not to do
- Don't pay out of panic.
- Don't delete the evidence.
- Don't try to "catch" or threaten them back.
- Don't blame yourself — you were targeted by a criminal.
How to make it stop
Sextortion loses its power when the threat stops working: tighten your privacy so "I'll send this to your friends" is hard to carry out, report it to the platform and law enforcement, and get any posted content taken down quickly. Tools like StopNCII.org (adults) and NCMEC's Take It Down (if you were under 18) can proactively block images from major platforms.