If your friend just told you they're being sextorted — or you think they might be — what you do in the next hour matters more than you know.
This is a crisis. Stay with them (in person or on the phone) and contact help immediately. Call 988 together, or text HELLO to 741741. If you believe they are in immediate danger, call 911. Do not leave them alone. Do not promise to keep it secret — their life is more important than their privacy.
That's it. That's the most important thing. After that:
Every one of these, even said casually, reinforces the exact shame the scammer is weaponizing. The scammer's entire business model depends on the victim feeling too ashamed to tell anyone. Don't help the scammer.
If your friend hasn't told you directly, watch for these changes:
Multiple teen suicides related to sextortion have happened within 24 hours of the initial threat. If you notice these signs, don't wait. Ask directly: "Are you okay? Is someone threatening you online?" The question itself can be a lifeline.
Once your friend has told you, here's how you can help:
Sit with them while they screenshot messages, the scammer's profile, payment demands. See our evidence guide for exactly what to save.
Go through the platform reporting guides together. Sometimes having someone next to you makes it feel doable.
This is the hardest step. Offer to be there when they do it. Offer to tell the adult with them, or even for them if they can't. Our conversation scripts give them the exact words to use. Send them the link.
Respect their feelings, but be honest: "I care about you too much to let this go. If I think you're in danger, I'm going to tell someone, because your safety is more important than anything." If you genuinely believe they might hurt themselves, tell a trusted adult even without their permission.
Sometimes the scammer contacts the victim's friends directly. If you receive a message from a stranger threatening to send you intimate images of someone you know:
The fact that you're on this page means you care. That matters more than you know. Sometimes just knowing one person believes them and doesn't judge them is enough to keep someone going. Keep checking in on them in the days and weeks ahead. Recovery isn't instant.