What it looks like
"I have your video. Pay Rs 25,000 in 1 hour or I send it to everyone in your Facebook friend list." (Illustrative)
How the sextortion video call scam works
- A stranger sends a friend request or message on social media, a dating app or WhatsApp and becomes friendly.
- They make a sudden video call showing explicit content, or persuade you to undress, and record the screen with your face visible.
- Minutes later they send the clip and a list of your friends or family, and demand money.
- Some then call pretending to be police, a YouTube official or a 'cyber cell' officer, demanding more money to 'delete' the video or avoid arrest.
- Each payment leads to a new demand.
Red flags
- A new contact who is very attractive and quickly moves to private chat
- An unexpected video call from an unknown number
- Being asked to undress or to stay on camera
- Threats naming your contacts, workplace or family
- A 'police officer' or 'official' asking for money to remove a video
- Countdown deadlines to pay
What to do
- Do not pay. Paying rarely stops it and usually leads to bigger demands.
- Stop replying, but do not delete the chat. Take screenshots of the profile, messages, numbers and payment requests.
- Block and report the account on the platform. Lock your social media friend lists.
- Report at once: call 1930 (National Cyber Fraud Helpline) or file at cybercrime.gov.in. Speed matters, because reports help freeze money in transit. You can also go to your local police cyber cell.
- If an intimate image is being shared, ask the platform to remove it. Under-18s and parents can seek help through the police and the reporting portal.
- Tell one trusted person. Shame is what the scammer relies on.
Protect your family
Tell teens and adults alike: never accept video calls from strangers, and if something happens, come to you without fear of blame. Real police never demand money on a video call to delete a video.
Also known as: nude video call blackmail, WhatsApp video call blackmail, sextortion
Questions people ask
Should I pay the sextortion scammer?
No. UK's NCSC and Indian police advise not to pay. Paying shows the threat works and often brings further demands.
Will they really send my video to my contacts?
Sometimes they do, but most aim to scare you into paying. Locking your friend list, warning close contacts and reporting quickly reduces the harm.
Where do I report sextortion in India?
Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in, which has a section for women and child related crime. You can also visit your local police cyber cell.