Snapchat scams: sextortion threats and what to do
Quick answer
The most serious Snapchat scam is sextortion: someone gets you to share intimate images, then threatens to leak them unless you pay. Don't pay. Stop replying, keep the evidence, report the account in Snapchat and tell the FTC or police.
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How it works
Snap says financial sextortion is a growing threat, especially to teens. Someone contacts you, builds trust, gets you to send intimate images, and then demands money to keep the pictures private.
The accounts are often fake and the "person" is often not who they say. Snap says it reports identified sextortion actors to NCMEC (the US center for missing and exploited children) and refers prolific networks to law enforcement.
Red flags
- A new contact who moves fast, flirts and asks for photos
- A request to move to another app or to keep it secret
- A threat to send images to your friends or family unless you pay
- Demands for gift cards, crypto or a payment app
- An account with few friends or a brand-new profile
What to do
- 1
Don't pay
Sending money doesn't give you any guarantee the images stay private. Hold off, and report the account instead.
- 2
Stop replying and keep the evidence
Take screenshots of the messages, the username and any payment requests before you block anyone.
- 3
Report the account in Snapchat
Snap's in-app report has a sextortion option under Nudity and Sexual Content: "They leaked / are threatening to leak my nudes".
- 4
Tell someone you trust
If you or someone you know is under 18, tell a parent, guardian or other adult. You're not in trouble.
- 5
Report it to the authorities
File a report with the FTC and, if you're in the US, the FBI's IC3. Contact local police if you feel unsafe.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Sextortion scammers choose targets on public profiles, and they can threaten to message your real contacts or family. Your name, phone number and relatives are often listed on people-search sites.
Servus finds where your phone number, address and email are listed on data brokers and people-search sites and removes them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach. That gives fewer scammers something to work with. Our guide on what to do after a data breach covers the next steps if your details already leaked.
Common Snapchat scams
- Snapchat phishing link scam A Snapchat message, text or email with a link that asks you to log in, "verify" your account or claim something is a phishing attempt. Snapchat says its staff will never ask for your password. Don't tap it. If you did, change your password, check your sessions and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Snapchat money scam If someone on Snapchat, often a friend's hacked account, says they'll turn your Cash App or Venmo payment into much more money, it's a scam. You'll get fake screenshots, then a request for more. Stop paying, report the account, and contact the payment app.
- Snapchat premium scam Accounts that tease explicit photos and ask you to pay for "premium" Snapchat content are a scam: the Massachusetts attorney general says nothing is delivered however much you pay. Don't pay, block and report the account, and never send explicit images to strangers.
Frequently asked
Is Snapchat a scam?
No. Snapchat is a real app. Scammers use it to contact people.
Should I pay a sextortion demand?
No. Stop replying, keep screenshots, report the account and tell the authorities.
How do I report sextortion on Snapchat?
Use Snapchat's in-app report and choose the sextortion option under Nudity and Sexual Content.
Does Snapchat do anything about this?
Snap says it reports identified sextortion actors to NCMEC and refers networks to law enforcement.
Sources
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