Sextortion campaign expanded to protect young people from online blackmail

Earlier this month, Scottish Government Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown was joined by young people from Police Scotland Youth Volunteers and representatives from Fearless, Crimestoppers’ youth service, to launch the second phase of our joint sextortion campaign.

Phase 2, developed to build on the significant achievements of the first phase, launched in November, sees an increased focus on outreach activity and will provide more vital information to parents and carers. Young people will also continue to be encouraged to learn more about sextortion through social media ads designed by their peers.

Since its initial launch, Fearless has seen very positive engagement with the campaign, including:

• Over 8.9 million social media impressions of the youth ads targeted at young people, with 61,387 swipes to the sextortion youth landing page at Fearless.org to learn more
• Over 1.3 million social media impressions of the adult ads, with 6,399 clicks to the adult-focused landing page at Fearless.org to learn more

In addition to the significant social media reach, webinars were delivered to 399 youth professionals from Health, Education and Youth Work across Scotland. More than 95% of the attendees felt the campaign increased their knowledge of sextortion, with the majority going on to share their learning with colleagues and making plans to highlight to young people.

One attendee said:

“The webinar was very helpful in increasing my understanding, particularly around the barriers to young people coming forward to seek support, including their fear of getting into trouble, and considering how that may further impact their mental health and wellbeing, or create further vulnerabilities to exploitation.”

Another said:

“I think the campaign is so important to raise awareness of this issue and will hopefully encourage young people to come forward and speak about this. The fact that this has driven young people to think the only solution is to take their own lives is devastating, and this campaign should be congratulated and recognised.”

Phase 2 is only the next step in raising awareness and reducing the considerable harm sextortion causes. It forms part of a range of future activity to ensure awareness and support remains clear and accessible. This includes the development of educational tools and the establishment of a national strategic group to ensure that Scotland’s approach to sextortion is coordinated and informed by the most up to date information and trends in criminality.

What is sextortion?

Sextortion is a developing threat and a relatively new form of online blackmail. 

It’s where criminals threaten to share nude or semi-nude photographs of their victim (often to the victim’s personal contacts on social media) if money isn’t paid or if the victim fails to comply with some other harmful demand. The image may be a real photo taken by the victim or a fake image that the criminal has created to pursue blackmail.

The key message is that victims don’t panic, don’t pay or comply, and get help.

Sextortion can have a devastating impact on victims. Yet, given the intimate nature of the photos, underreporting of the crime is thought to be high. It’s essential that young people are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult, report to police directly or contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via their website, childline.org.uk

Find out more about sextortion

“I’m delighted that our initial 4-week campaign, launched in November, really landed with young people and adults – it was something they chose to engage with and learn from in high numbers. 

“Over the next month, in addition to our continued campaign on social media, we’re going to be going into communities to bring this important message to adults who look after young people. 

“As a mum of teenagers myself, I know how difficult this topic can seem, but I promise you there is plenty of advice and support available. Please visit our website to learn more and talk to your young person about this. More than anything, they need to know that they can come to you should this ever happen to them and that they will be helped to get through it.”

Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland Manager at Crimestoppers

“Sextortion has a devastating impact on young people and their families, and I know it can be a difficult topic to discuss and understand. It is important to build on the work we did in the first phase which was about encouraging young people never to panic or pay, and to get help and report it. 

“This phase is about making parents and carers aware of this horrible crime and what support is available for them should a young person report an incident like this to them. Sextortion can have harmful consequences and it is important that any young person who has fallen victim to this horrible crime is listened to, believed and supported. This next phase of the campaign will help parents and carers to do that.”


Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown

“Safeguarding, and keeping our young people, the wider public and our communities safe remains an absolute priority for Police Scotland, its officers and staff.

“We welcome and support the ongoing Fearless campaign and will continue to work in partnership with a wide range of local and national partners to raise the awareness of sextortion and the harmful consequences.

“Anyone who has been a victim of sextortion is urged not to panic or pay. They shouldn’t be embarrassed to report this insidious crime to Police Scotland, a parent, guardian, teacher or someone else they trust. Our officers will carry out a thorough investigation to identify those responsible.”

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson

If you have information about those committing this crime, you can tell us and remain 100% anonymous - guaranteed. Call free on 0800 555 111 or fill in our online form, here on our website:

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17 February 2025