Guide

AI deepfake blackmail: when scammers fake explicit images and demand money

Short answer: Don’t pay and don’t send anything. The FBI says giving in doesn’t guarantee the images won’t be shared. Save the messages, block the account, and report it to the FBI at ic3.gov. If the person in the images was under 18, the free Take It Down service from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children can help stop the images being shared.

By Agent Lane Editorial · Page dated 3 November 2026

How does this scam work?

The FBI warns that criminals take ordinary photos or videos, often from social media or video chats, and use AI to turn them into explicit images that look real. They then send them to the victim and threaten to share them with family, friends or online unless they get money, gift cards or more images. The FBI says victims have included children and adults who never shared anything explicit.

The FTC describes a related crypto version: messages claiming to have embarrassing photos or videos and threatening to make them public unless you pay in cryptocurrency.

Should I pay?

No. The FBI says not to give money or anything of value to unknown people, and that doing what they ask doesn’t guarantee the content won’t be shared. The FTC’s advice on crypto blackmail is the same: don’t pay, and report it to the FBI right away.

What should I do right now?

1. Stop replying, and don’t send money, crypto, gift cards or more images.
2. Save the messages, usernames, profile links and any payment details they gave you. Screenshots are fine.
3. Block the account and report it to the platform where it happened.
4. Report it to the FBI at ic3.gov.
5. If the person in the images was under 18, the FBI points to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s free Take It Down service, which can help remove or stop the online sharing of those images.
6. Talk to someone you trust. This is a crime against you, not something you did wrong.

How can I protect my photos?

• Set social media profiles and friends lists to private, as the FBI suggests.
• Be careful accepting friend requests, video chats or photo requests from people you don’t know personally, especially if they push for images quickly.
• Be wary of a friend acting out of character online; the FBI notes hacked accounts are used to gain trust.
• Use strong passwords and multi-factor login on your accounts.
• Search your name now and then, and use a reverse image search to see where your photos appear.
• Talk with children about what they share and with whom.

How does AI fit into other scams?

The FBI says criminals use AI to make fake photos, voices and videos for many kinds of fraud. See voice clones and deepfake calls, AI romance and job scams and AI-written scam messages.

Sources

Checked 3 November 2026 on each organization’s own site.

• FBI IC3 — Malicious Actors Manipulating Photos and Videos to Create Explicit Content and Sextortion Schemes (PSA I-060523-PSA, 5 Jun 2023)
• FBI IC3 — Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud (PSA I-120324-PSA, 3 Dec 2024)
• FTC — What To Know About Cryptocurrency and Scams

Related guides

• Check a call or video before you send money
• AI romance and job scams that end in crypto
• AI-written scam messages: why perfect spelling no longer means it’s safe
• Asked to pay in crypto or gift cards? It’s a scam. What to do
• Is this a crypto scam? 10-question checklist

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