Someone online is threatening to share my private photos unless I pay. What should I do?
Do not pay, stop replying, and keep all the evidence. Paying rarely stops it; it usually leads to new demands. Report the account on the platform and report it at a police station.
This is called sextortion. The person often uses a fake profile, gets you to share a photo or a video call, and then threatens to send it to your family or friends. Many of these accounts are run by organised groups.
You are not to blame. It happens to people of all ages.
What to do now
- Stop all contact and do not send any money.
- Take screenshots of the profile, the messages and the numbers.
- Report and block the account on the platform.
- Make your own social media private for a while.
- Report it at the nearest police station and ask for the case to go to the Cyber Crime Unit.
Frequently asked questions
- If I pay once, will they stop?
- Usually not. A payment shows them you will pay, and new demands come.
- Can Veritaza help?
- Veritaza can check whether the profile photos are stolen or the number is linked to scams. It does not remove photos from the internet.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for TSh 5,000.
Check a person