If someone is threatening you online
Sextortion and online blackmail in India: what a young person can do right now, and what a parent can do. You are not in trouble.
If someone is threatening to share your photos or messages
You are not in trouble. This happens to many young people, and it can be stopped. Follow these steps one at a time.
- You are not in trouble. The person threatening you is the one doing wrong. Asking for help is the right thing to do.
- Do not pay or send more. Do not send money, photos or videos, even if they count down or say they will share them right now. Paying usually leads to more demands.
- Do not delete anything. Take screenshots of their profile, the messages and any payment demand. These are evidence. Keep the chat as it is.
- Block after you screenshot. Once the screenshots are saved, block the person on that app.
- Tell a trusted adult now. A parent, an older sibling, a teacher or a school counsellor. Show them these screenshots.
- Report it. Call 1930, the national cybercrime helpline, or report at cybercrime.gov.in under "Report Women/Children related crime", which allows anonymous reporting. Also use the app's Report option.
Report on the app
On any other app, use the app's Report option on the profile or message.
If your child is being blackmailed online
Stay calm. Your child did nothing wrong, and how you react in the first minutes matters most.
- Stay calm and reassure your child. Say clearly that they are not in trouble and that you will deal with this together. Avoid blame or taking the phone away as punishment.
- Secure the accounts. Change the passwords of the child's accounts, starting with email, and switch on 2-step verification. Log out of other devices.
- Keep the evidence. Do not delete anything. Screenshot the profile, the messages, the payment demands and any UPI details. Note the usernames and phone numbers.
- Do not engage or pay. Do not reply to the person and do not send money. Paying usually brings more demands. Block them only after the evidence is saved.
- Report within 24 hours. Call 1930, the national cybercrime helpline, or report at cybercrime.gov.in. Report to the app as well. Tell your bank at once if any money was sent.
- Get support. Childline 1098 can give emotional support to the child. A school counsellor can help too. Check in with your child over the following days.
What OurShield can and cannot see
- OurShield works at the DNS level. It can see which websites and apps look up addresses, and it can block known bad sites.
- It cannot see the contents of messages, photos or calls, and it cannot tell who is writing to your child.
- OurShield does not read your child's chats, so your child's screenshots are the evidence to keep.
Common questions
What should I do if someone is threatening to share my photos?
You are not in trouble. Do not pay or send more, even if they count down. Do not delete anything: screenshot the profile, messages and payment demands. Block after screenshotting, tell a trusted adult, and report to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
Where do I report sextortion in India?
Call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in. Under "Report Women/Children related crime" you can report anonymously. Also use the Report option inside the app where it happened.
What should parents do if their child is being blackmailed online?
Stay calm and tell your child they did nothing wrong. Secure the accounts, keep the evidence, do not engage or pay, and report to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in within 24 hours. Childline 1098 can offer emotional support.