The mechanics of the scam
A sophisticated form of online blackmail known as sexual extortion, or sextortion, is increasingly targeting young men and boys across Australia. Criminals are leveraging stolen photographs, artificial intelligence tools, and fabricated romantic personas to coerce victims into sharing intimate material or transferring money.
The process typically initiates on social media platforms, messaging services, dating applications, or online games where an offender constructs a profile that appears entirely genuine. This facade includes real-looking photographs, follower counts, and personal details designed to mimic a trustworthy individual.
Once trust is established through friendly or flirtatious conversation, the offender encourages the victim to send an intimate image or participate in a private video call.
Tactics used to create panic
The tone of the interaction can shift almost instantly after an intimate image is obtained. The offender reveals their true purpose by threatening to distribute the material to relatives, friends, classmates, colleagues, or social media contacts unless a ransom is paid or further content is provided.
To prevent victims from thinking clearly, blackmailers often display screenshots showing the victim’s connections and threaten immediate distribution of images.
The goal is often quick financial gain, causing victims to experience intense fear, panic, psychological distress, and significant financial loss while feeling there is no time to ask for help.
Why young men are targeted
Data indicates that around 86% of sexual extortion reports received by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner throughout 2025 originated from males. Men aged between 18 and 24 specifically accounted for 42% of those male reports, highlighting a distinct demographic vulnerability.
A joint research project by eSafety and the Australian Institute of Criminology surveyed 1,953 Australians aged between 16 and 18. The study found that 11.3% had experienced sexual extortion, with 57.7% of those affected stating the incident happened before they turned 16.
While authorities warn that individuals of every age can be targeted, including children, the current reporting landscape shows young men are being hit at particularly high rates. Online safety discussions have traditionally focused on protecting girls from exploitation and unwanted contact, which remains essential, but boys also need direct and practical warnings about how these scams operate.
Supporting victims without blame
A person targeted by sextortion has been deliberately deceived and manipulated. Blaming the victim only strengthens the offender’s ability to control them, so parents and carers are advised to remain calm if a young person reveals they are being threatened.
The support of a trusted adult can make a significant difference when a young person feels frightened or overwhelmed. The conversation should focus on safety, preserving evidence, and stopping further contact rather than criticising the victim for sending an image in a moment of trust.
Steps for victims to take
Victims should preserve evidence of the blackmail, including usernames, account details, messages, payment demands, and the times and dates of contact.
The offender should then be blocked, and privacy and security settings should be reviewed to limit further contact.
When the victim is under 18, the matter should be reported to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation. Adults can report the account to the platform or messaging service where the contact occurred, and if an intimate image has been shared, it can also be reported through eSafety’s image-based abuse reporting system.
The role of technology companies
The responsibility cannot rest entirely with parents and victims. An eSafety transparency report identified gaps in how major technology services detect and respond to sexual extortion, finding that some services lacked clear reporting categories.
The report examined information provided by companies including Apple, Discord, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Snap and WhatsApp. eSafety said services should make greater use of available tools capable of identifying coercive language and known offender tactics within private messaging and video systems.
Scammers can move rapidly between platforms, create new accounts, and contact victims from outside Australia, complicating the detection process. The urgent question is whether parents, educators and technology companies are doing enough to warn them before a seemingly harmless conversation becomes a terrifying demand for money.
The conversation families need
Parents do not need to understand every new application or online trend to have a useful conversation with their children. The most important message is simple: anyone can be deceived online, and help remains available even after an intimate image has been sent.
They should also know exactly who they can contact without fear of judgement if something goes wrong.
More than 3,300 Australian reports in a single year show that sextortion is not a rare or distant danger. It is a widespread form of organised online manipulation that is reaching Australian homes, schools and young people.
The evidence shows that boys are being targeted at significant rates, requiring a shift in how families and communities approach digital safety education.