Sextortion Email Scam UK: How to Spot and Stop It
You've received an email claiming someone has a video of you. Don't panic—it's almost certainly a scam.
What is this scam?
Sextortion is a blackmail scam delivered by email. The scammer claims to have recorded you watching adult content or engaging in sexual activity via your webcam, and threatens to send the footage to your contacts unless you pay a ransom—usually in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. The email often includes your real password (obtained from a data breach) to make the threat seem credible. In reality, the scammer almost never has any footage. They are sending the same generic email to thousands of people, betting that fear and embarrassment will make some victims pay.
The scam exploits the shame and privacy concerns that make victims reluctant to tell anyone or seek help. Even if you have never used your webcam for anything inappropriate, the threat alone is designed to trigger panic and compliance.
Warning signs to look for
- The email includes a real password of yours (from a known data breach), making it seem authentic.
- It demands payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or other hard-to-trace currency.
- The sender's email address is generic or spoofed, not a real person's identity.
- The message uses urgent, threatening language and gives you a short deadline to pay.
- It claims to have video evidence but provides no proof, link, or screenshot.
- The email is sent to your address along with thousands of others (you may see this if you check email headers or receive multiple similar messages).
- It references adult websites or activities you may or may not have visited.
- The grammar and phrasing are awkward or non-native English, typical of mass-mailed scams.
How this scam works step by step
The scam begins when you receive an unsolicited email claiming the sender has compromising video of you. The email often opens with a real password you have used, which the scammer obtained from a publicly disclosed data breach (such as a breach of a dating site, social network, or email service). This password is included to convince you the threat is real and the sender has access to your accounts. The scammer then demands payment—typically £500 to £2,000 in Bitcoin—within 24 to 48 hours, threatening to send the alleged footage to your contacts, family, or employer if you refuse.
The email may include a Bitcoin wallet address or instructions on how to buy and send cryptocurrency. If you pay, the scammer keeps the money and disappears; they do not delete any footage because none exists. If you do not pay, nothing happens—the scammer moves on to the next batch of recipients. The goal is volume: send the same email to 100,000 people, and even if only 0.1% pay, the scammer makes significant money with minimal effort.
How to verify if it is genuine
A genuine threat from someone with actual footage would be highly specific: it would name the exact website, date, or circumstance, and would likely include a screenshot or link to prove possession of the material. A sextortion email is almost always generic and vague. Check whether your email address and password appear in known data breaches by visiting haveibeenpwned.com (a legitimate security tool run by security researcher Troy Hunt). If your password is listed, it came from a breach—not from the scammer's surveillance.
Test your webcam: if you use a laptop, cover it with tape or a sticker and check whether it has been physically tampered with. If your webcam is intact and you have not deliberately used it for adult content, no footage exists. Do not click any links in the email or reply to the sender. Do not pay. If you are genuinely concerned about your security, change your passwords (especially for email and banking) and enable two-factor authentication on important accounts.
What to do if you have already interacted
If you have already replied to the email or engaged with the scammer, stop all contact immediately. Do not send any money, even if the scammer increases pressure or claims to have sent the footage to your contacts. If you have already paid via Bitcoin or gift card, contact your bank or the gift card issuer right away to report the fraud; in some cases, transactions can be reversed if reported quickly. Change your email password and any other passwords that match the one mentioned in the scam email.
Enable two-factor authentication on your email and banking accounts to prevent unauthorised access. Check your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorised transactions. If the scammer has your phone number, consider blocking their number and reporting it to your mobile provider. Do not be ashamed to seek support: contact Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133) or a trusted friend or family member. Report the scam to Action Fraud and the NCSC (see Reporting section below). Keep copies of all emails and communications for evidence.
Reporting this scam in the UK
Report the email to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting actionfraud.police.uk. You can also report it online via the Action Fraud website, where you will be asked to provide details of the scam, including the sender's email address, the amount demanded, and any payment details given. Forward the sextortion email itself to the NCSC Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk. The NCSC will analyse the email and may take action against the sender's infrastructure.
If you received the email on your phone and it contained a link or attachment, forward the SMS to 7726 (the standard UK spam reporting number). Report the Bitcoin wallet address (if provided) to the National Crime Agency's cybercrime reporting service. If you have already paid and used a gift card, report the fraud to the retailer (Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, etc.) and provide them with the transaction details and the scammer's instructions. Keep a record of all reports you make, including reference numbers, for your own records and in case you need to follow up.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sender really a hacker with footage of me?
No. Sextortion emails are mass-mailed scams sent to thousands of people at once. The scammer does not have any footage of you. They include a real password (from a data breach) to create false credibility, but this only proves your email address was in a leaked database—not that they have surveillance of you. If you have not deliberately used your webcam for adult content, there is no video.
I already sent money. Can I get it back?
If you paid via bank transfer, contact your bank immediately and report the fraud; they may be able to recall the payment if it has not been withdrawn. If you paid via Bitcoin or cryptocurrency, the transaction is usually irreversible, but report it to Action Fraud anyway for the record. If you paid via gift card, contact the retailer (Amazon, iTunes, etc.) and report the card as fraudulent; they may be able to block it before the scammer uses it. Report the scam to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) and provide all payment details and communications.
The email included my real password. Does that mean the threat is real?
No. Your password was almost certainly obtained from a data breach of a website or service you used in the past, not from the scammer's surveillance. Check haveibeenpwned.com to see which breaches your email address appears in. Change that password immediately, but do not assume the scammer has access to your webcam or files. The password is included only to make the scam seem credible and increase the chance you will panic and pay.
How do I report a sextortion email in the UK?
Report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting actionfraud.police.uk. Forward the email to the NCSC Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk. If you received it via SMS, forward it to 7726. Provide as much detail as possible, including the sender's email address, the amount demanded, and any Bitcoin wallet or payment details. Keep copies of all communications for evidence.