Scam library · Kids & teens · Email & phishing
Fake sextortion help service scam
Someone is threatening to share intimate photos of you, or your teen, unless you pay. You're scared, so you search for help, and a site promises to track down the blackmailer, stop the threats and wipe the images from the internet. For a fee, often a large one.
Be careful. In October 2026 the FTC warned about deceptive 'sextortion assistance services' and sued a company it says misled victims into paying at least $60 million for help it didn't provide. These are the FTC's allegations, and a court temporarily halted the company while the case goes on. The real help is free.
What the message looks like
From: Sponsored search result
Subject: Sextortion Help 24/7: We Stop Blackmailers
Being blackmailed online? Our cyber investigators trace the extortionist and remove your images in 24 hours. Guaranteed.
Call now: 555-0127 or start your case at stop-blackmail-now[.]help. Phase 1 investigation from $1,499.
How this scam works
These services find people at their most frightened moment, usually through search results and ads. The FTC alleges the company it sued ran sites with urgent-sounding names like 'blackmail helpline' and promised to stop the threats, keep explicit material from spreading and report the blackmailer to criminal authorities.
According to the FTC, customers were charged thousands of dollars, sometimes in stages or 'phases,' and the promised results didn't come. The agency also alleged the company used deceptive review practices, so glowing reviews may not mean much.
Some sites also ask for access to your phone, computer or financial accounts to 'investigate.' That puts you at even more risk. Nobody can promise to make a determined blackmailer disappear, and anyone who guarantees it is selling a feeling, not a fix.
Here's what this fox wants you to know first: you're not in trouble, and you're not alone. Sextortion is a crime against you. Free, official help exists, and it works without you paying a stranger.
Red flags
- Guarantees to stop the blackmailer, find them, or remove images 'everywhere.'
- High fees, especially paid in 'phases' or with add-ons after you've already paid.
- Pressure to buy right now because 'the images go public tonight.'
- Requests for remote access to your device or logins to your accounts.
- A wall of perfect reviews but no clear company address or track record.
How to tell it’s fake
- Search the service's name with words like 'scam' or 'complaint' before paying anything, as the FTC suggests.
- Compare its promises with the free steps below. If it charges for things official channels do free, walk away.
- Ask someone you trust, or a scam expert, to look at the site with you. A calm second opinion helps when you're panicking.
What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info
Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.
If you clicked a link or called back
- Don't pay the blackmailer, and don't give anyone access to your devices or financial accounts.
- Stop replying and block the blackmailer, but save screenshots of the messages, usernames and payment requests first.
- Report the blackmail to your local police and the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. If the person in the images is under 18, report to NCMEC's CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org) and use NCMEC's free Take It Down tool.
If you paid
- Call your card issuer or bank and ask about disputing the charge. Tell them it was a service that didn't deliver what it promised.
- Report the service at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you shared personal info, a password or a code
- If images were posted, report them to the platform. Under the Take It Down Act, covered platforms must remove intimate images within 48 hours of a valid request, for free. If a platform doesn't, report it to the FTC.
- If you gave a service your logins, change those passwords and turn on two-step verification.
Where to report and get help (U.S.)
If a message seems legit and you’re still not sure, get a second opinion before you act. Reporting helps stop scammers, even if money can’t be recovered. If you are in danger, call 911.
- Your bank or card issuer
Call the number on the back of your card or on your statement, not one from the message. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and to watch the account. - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Report the scam and get a step-by-step recovery plan. - FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · ic3.gov
Report scams that happened online, especially if money was lost. Include phone numbers, websites and payment details. - AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · aarp.org helpline
Free, for anyone of any age: trained volunteers help you sort out next steps. 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. - IdentityTheft.gov · IdentityTheft.gov
If you shared your Social Security number or someone opened accounts in your name.
How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you
Scam Guard runs in Chrome and Edge on a computer. It checks websites you open there, including paid 'help' sites, and warns when a site is brand new, copies a known name or pushes risky payments. It can't remove images or stop a blackmailer, and it doesn't pretend to. If a service seems legit, get a scam expert's second opinion before you pay.
Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.
Questions people ask
- Should I pay someone to make the blackmail stop?
- No. The FTC says not to pay the blackmailer, and to be wary of paid services that promise to end the threats. Use the free official help instead.
- Are all paid online reputation services scams?
- Not all, but the FTC alleges some sextortion services took large fees and didn't deliver. Research any company and never pay under pressure.
- How do I get intimate images taken down for free?
- Report them to the platform. Covered platforms must remove them within 48 hours of a valid request. For minors, NCMEC's Take It Down tool can help.
- I'm a parent. What should I say to my teen?
- Stay calm and tell them they're not in trouble. Help them stop replying, save evidence, block the account and report it together.