Police warn young men of sextortion on social media

Danish police are warning young men on social media to be cautious when asked to share intimate images, as cases of sextortion have surged. The National Unit for Special Crime (NSK) said the warning follows a sharp rise in reports, with 1,842 cases logged in 2025 alone — an increase of more than 300 percent since 2021, according to DR.

NSK stated that roughly 97 percent of victims in 2025 were boys and young men aged 12 to 24. The criminals typically pose as young women on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and dating sites before moving conversations to encrypted messaging services, where the blackmail takes place. After obtaining intimate images, they threaten to share them unless the victim pays.

Advice

Police advise users to be critical of friend requests from strangers, block contacts at the first sign of pressure or early sexualisation, and use privacy settings to limit personal information. They urge victims not to pay or send further material, to talk to someone trusted, and to report the incident with screenshots. Support is available through organisations such as Red Barnet, Børns Vilkår, and Offerrådgivningen.

NSK noted that sextortion has led to suicides in several countries. In the US, 30 teenage boys have killed themselves as a result of sextortion since 2021, and research suggests about 15 percent of American youth have been targeted.

DR is currently focusing on digital harassment and sextortion in a series of programmes, including the upcoming documentary “Jagten på sexafpresserne”.