What to Do the First Hour of an AI Sextortion Scam

AI sextortion is when a stranger DMs you AI-generated nudes of yourself — built from your Instagram photos — and threatens to send them to your contacts unless you pay. The FBI says do NOT pay (it never stops), do NOT delete (you need the evidence), and DO report to NCMEC's CyberTipline within hours. Payment escalates threats; reporting freezes accounts.

Some examples

• An Instagram DM with a nudified photo of you arrives at 11pm — you screenshot the message, the username, and the bitcoin wallet, then block but don't delete the chat.
• You go to report.cybertip.org and file a CyberTipline report (free, anonymous if you want, run by NCMEC) — this triggers actual federal investigation.
• You also use takeitdown.ncmec.org to push a hash of the fake image to Meta, TikTok, Snap, X, and Reddit so it cannot reupload.
• You tell ONE adult — even an awkward conversation tonight beats the alternative; the FBI's PSA literally says teen suicides have followed silence.

Try it!

Save report.cybertip.org and takeitdown.ncmec.org as bookmarks on your phone right now. If it ever happens to you or a friend, you'll have the playbook open before panic sets in.