Sextortion
Sextortion is a form of blackmail in which a scammer threatens to release intimate images, private messages, or embarrassing information unless the victim pays or hands over more content. Sometimes the threat rests on material the scammer obtained through manipulation; other times it's a pure bluff, claiming access they don't actually have. Fear and shame are what push the victim to pay fast.
How we check this: Written and reviewed by the Hunch team; recognition signs reflect how the FTC/FBI describe this scam. · Last reviewed: 2026-08
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Example
An email claims the sender recorded you through your webcam while you visited an adult site and even quotes an old password to seem credible. It demands payment in cryptocurrency within a short deadline or the 'video' will be sent to your contacts, though usually no such video exists.
How to recognize it
- A threat to expose intimate images or embarrassing material unless you pay
- A demand for payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards with a tight deadline
- An old leaked password quoted to make an empty threat feel real
- Pressure to keep it secret and act before you can think or get help
How Hunch flags it
Hunch keys on signal categories such as a payment demand joined with threats and urgency, cryptocurrency or gift-card asks, and links to unfamiliar payment pages, the hallmarks of an extortion message.
FAQ
The email has my real password, is the threat real?
Usually not. Scammers buy old leaked passwords in bulk to make bluff threats look credible; if it's a password you still use, change it, but don't pay.
Should I pay a sextortion demand?
No. Paying marks you as a target and rarely ends the demands; instead stop responding, keep the evidence, and report it to authorities.
What if the threat involves real images?
Don't engage or pay. Preserve evidence, block the sender, and contact law enforcement or a support hotline, which can help you handle it safely.