Sarah Maslin Nir provides expert guidance on managing sextortion threats, with key steps and advice from Susan Kennedy of NCMEC on how to protect against and respond to explicit image extortion.
Guidelines for Handling Sextortion Threats
On May 15, 2024, Sarah Maslin Nir provided expert advice on dealing with sextortion, which involves threats to distribute explicit images unless demands are met. Susan Kennedy from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers four key steps to manage such situations.
- Avoid Paying the Scammer: Kennedy emphasizes that paying the extortionist typically does not end the threats.
- Block but Do Not Delete Your Account: Retaining the account can preserve vital information for law enforcement investigations.
- Report to Authorities: Sextortion incidents can be reported anonymously through NCMEC’s tip line (report.cybertip.org, 800-843-5678), the FBI (800-CALL-FBI, tips.fbi.gov), or Homeland Security (877-4-HSI-TIP).
- Remove Posted Photos: Tools such as NCMEC’s “Take It Down” can help in removing explicit images from the internet.
Kennedy advises starting conversations with children about sextortion risks early, noting cases involving victims as young as 8 years old. For further assistance, NCMEC can be contacted at [email protected].
Written by Sarah Maslin Nir, a reporter for The New York Times.
