Sextortion in Singapore: what to do when someone threatens to share your images

How the current scam works

On 3 September 2026 the Singapore Police Force warned of a wave of cyber-extortion: at least 52 reports and more than S$134,000 lost since August. The pattern it described:

1. A match on Tinder, Bumble or Coffee Meets Bagel, with attractive photos and fast flattery.
2. A request to continue on a messaging app, away from the dating app’s moderation.
3. An explicit video call, secretly recorded, or a request for intimate photos.
4. Threats: pay, or the recording goes to your contacts, employer or social media, often with a screenshot of your friend list as proof.

The scammer is usually abroad and working several victims at once. Being targeted says nothing about your judgement.

Do this now

• Stop all contact. Do not argue or negotiate: any reply shows you can be pressed.
• Do not pay. Payment does not buy deletion, and the demand usually returns larger.
• Save evidence before blocking: profile, usernames, phone numbers, bank or wallet details and every threat, with dates and times.
• Report to the police. Call 999 if you feel unsafe. Otherwise lodge a report online at police.gov.sg (E-services, Lodge Police Report). The anonymous i-Witness form is a tip-off, not a police report.
• If money has moved, call your bank at once and the ScamShield Helpline on 1799 (24 hours).
• Lock down your accounts: hide your friend and follower lists on Facebook and Instagram, then block and report the account on each app.

The law is on your side, even if nothing is posted

Threatening to distribute an intimate image without consent is an offence under Penal Code s 377BE, punishable by up to 5 years’ jail, a fine, caning, or any combination. Under s 377BE(6), the prosecution does not have to prove that the image exists or is intimate, so a bluff is still a crime. Since 17 August 2026, an AI-altered fake counts as an intimate image too (s 377BE(5)(b)).

NetClearer is not a law firm and gives no legal advice; for a protection order, see a lawyer or the Protection from Harassment Court.

Who handles what

If the scammer carries out the threat

Most threats stay threats. When scammers do post, it is usually on Facebook or Instagram tagged to your contacts, on X, or on adult and “exposure” sites. Facebook, Instagram and X must act on OSC notices about intimate images within 24 hours, or 6 hours where nudity is explicit; offshore exposure sites have no such duty, which is where we spend most effort.

Send us the exact links. We file each platform’s non-consent report, write to the host of smaller sites, and ask Google to remove the pages and thumbnails. For tube sites, see adult site removal; for a clip shared further, leaked video removal; for an AI-edited image, deepfake removal.

What we cannot do, and what it costs

We do not negotiate with blackmailers, trace them or recover money: that is police work. We cannot delete files on the scammer’s phone or messages already sent in private chats.

The assessment is free, even before anything is posted: we tell you what to watch for. Removal is S$42 per link, S$99 for three, S$286 for ten. Fixed prices, no extra fees, secure card payment via Stripe. Send the links through the contact form; we reply within 24 hours. Messenger also works. More on removing intimate images.