Get help now: stop, preserve, contact
Stop the exchange, keep the evidence and reach the right channel. Whether someone wants money, a meeting or silence, you do not have to handle it alone. This page cannot replace the police.
Emergency numbers
Threats, assault, unlawful detention, extortion or image-based blackmail.
120AmbulanceInjury, overdose, breathing difficulty or loss of consciousness.
12348Public legal servicesEvidence, civil claims, legal aid conditions and court procedure.
12338Women's rights lineDomestic abuse, economic control, discrimination and family disputes.
12355Youth support lineMinors and students seeking psychological or rights support.
12377Online reporting centreReport intimate-image leaks, fraud pages and malicious doxxing.
Hours and coverage vary by region, and numbers can change. For immediate danger, use 110 or 120. This page maps help routes; it does not replace the police, a lawyer, a doctor or a qualified counsellor.
Scenario 01 · Privacy and extortion
Threatened, blackmailed or pressured with private material
Someone demands money, another meeting, a transfer or more images, and threatens to send what they have to family, an employer or the internet.
Three things to do first
- Stop the exchange: Do not pay, send more images or try to prove good faith. Compliance tells the person that pressure works.
- Preserve the record: Capture the profile URL, account ID, time, page URL and the full conversation. Keep transfer receipts, texts, call logs and any files they sent.
- Get help now: Call 110 and describe the threat or extortion. Report the account to the platform as well; ask for private material to be removed before review.
Evidence to keep
- Profile link, display name, avatar and account ID, not just the chat text.
- Full conversations, voice messages, texts, emails and call logs; keep originals rather than forwarded screenshots.
- Transfer records, recipient account, order numbers and bank statements.
- A timeline: what was demanded first, how you replied and what deadline was given.
Do not
- Do not pay a removal fee, hush money or deposit; payment rarely ends the threat.
- Do not meet the person alone or reveal where you live.
- Do not buy removal, recovery or hacking services online; this is a common second scam.
- Do not forward private images to anyone, including people who claim they can help.
If material has already spread, save the links before requesting removal. Do not re-upload the original to prove what happened.
Continue reading: Privacy leaks and blackmail · Scam script library · Hidden-camera case · Evidence checklist
Scenario 02 · Money already sent
Scammed, fake transfer or investment top-up
A screenshot says money has been sent and you should pay first; or an investment or recharge account shows a profit but withdrawal is blocked.
Three things to do first
- Stop every payment: No more deposits, taxes, release fees or loans taken out to prove trust.
- Call the bank or payment platform: Describe the suspected fraud and ask about stopping, freezing or tracing the funds. Keep the case number.
- Report to police: Call 110 or attend the nearest station with transfer records, chats and the other side's account details.
Evidence to keep
- Time, amount, recipient, order number and bank statement for every transfer.
- Account profiles, group chats, app name, download link and recharge-page screenshots.
- Messages promising returns, asking for a deposit or pushing for a withdrawal fee.
- Platform support tickets, bank stop-payment receipts and police case numbers.
Do not
- Do not believe that one more payment will unlock the full balance.
- Do not install remote-control software or share your screen.
- Do not receive or transfer money for someone else or buy gift cards; this can involve money laundering.
- Do not hire an online recovery expert before contacting the bank and police.
Recovery depends on how quickly the bank and police can act. Early reporting and a complete transaction record matter.
Continue reading: Fake transfers and advance fees · Five stages of a pig-butchering scam · Risk self-check · Evidence toolkit
Scenario 03 · Images and privacy
Secretly filmed or private images shared
Photos or video appear in a group, on a social platform or on an unknown site, or someone uses them to demand money or a meeting.
Three things to do first
- Stop the spread: Do not ask public groups to forward or delete and do not upload the original again. Save the link, then submit a removal request to the platform.
- Preserve evidence: Screen-record the URL, account, posting time and view count. Keep the original file information, poster profile and sharing chain.
- Report and call police: Call 110 about secret filming, distribution or extortion. Report to 12377 and the platform, and ask them to preserve backend records.
Evidence to keep
- A screen recording of the page URL, profile, posting time, view count and comments.
- Capture time, device information and storage location of the original; do not edit the original file.
- The sharing chain: who posted, who forwarded and who demanded money or conditions.
- Platform ticket numbers, removal results and police case receipts.
Do not
- Do not pay for deletion; the price can keep rising.
- Do not send more photos or video to prove identity.
- Do not publish all of the other person's personal details; you could face a privacy claim yourself.
- Do not meet the poster or an intermediary alone.
If a minor is involved, call the police and contact a guardian immediately. Do not circulate anything that could identify them.
Continue reading: Legal risk of filming and sharing · Privacy leaks and blackmail · Hidden-camera case · Legal and help index
Scenario 04 · Coercive control
Financial control, domestic abuse or confinement
Someone controls your income, bank cards, phone or movement, demands constant check-ins, or threatens your housing, job or children.
Three things to do first
- Make a safety plan: Identify somewhere you can go, a trusted contact and a time to leave. Do not confront the person while they are volatile.
- Store evidence safely: Injury photos, medical records, police receipts, transfer records, threatening messages and witness contacts should be backed up where the person cannot reach them.
- Bring in outside support: Call 110; ask 12338 about domestic-abuse and shelter resources; ask 12348 about protection orders and legal aid.
Evidence to keep
- Dated injury photos, plus medical records, diagnoses and payment receipts from a timely examination.
- Messages, recordings and transfers showing control of money, confinement or threats of harm.
- The time, officer number, outcome and any warning notice for each police call.
- Material showing shared living arrangements, children and property.
Do not
- Do not announce that you are leaving before housing and transport are ready.
- Do not hand over ID documents, bank cards, your phone or a child's documents.
- Do not cancel safety arrangements because the person promises to change.
- Do not negotiate alone with the person or their relatives.
A personal safety protection order does not require a divorce filing first. Ask a court or 12348 about the conditions.
Continue reading: Financial dependence and abuse · Recognising emotional control · Evidence checklist · Legal and help index
Scenario 05 · Minors
A minor pressured for images or a meeting
Someone offers gifts, pocket money, a job or romance, asks for photos, video or a meeting, and tells the young person to keep it secret.
Three things to do first
- Tell a trusted adult: A guardian, teacher, relative or friend's parent can help. Do not handle it alone because of shame or fear of punishment.
- Preserve evidence and stop contact: Do not delete the chat, send more content or attend a meeting. Record the account, times and demands.
- Call police and support lines: Call 110. A minor can also call 12355 for support. If content is spreading online, report it to 12377.
Evidence to keep
- The account, chats, transfers or red packets, delivery slips for gifts and any meeting place.
- Claimed age, job, school or plate number; do not investigate in person.
- Exact messages asking for secrecy, images or a meeting.
- When an adult was told or the police were called, and whether contact continued.
Do not
- Do not meet an online contact alone or accept a lift from them.
- Do not send private photos or video, even if they promise not to save it.
- Do not accept unexplained money, gifts or job offers.
- Do not post the person's details online asking for a group confrontation; leave it to the police.
Platforms and police have stricter duties when a minor is involved. Do not circulate anything that could identify the young person.
Continue reading: The line around minors · Privacy leaks and blackmail · Legal and help index · Printable pack
What to say when you call 110
Give three things first: whether you are safe now, who the other person is (account, phone or address), and what happened, including any money lost.
Answer the questions in order. You do not need a polished statement. Keep your evidence with you or in an account you can open immediately.
If language or stress makes it hard, ask a trusted person to stay with you. A written timeline can be handed to the officer.
Five things not to do
- Do not keep paying or send more private material.
- Do not delay reporting to avoid embarrassment.
- Do not hire removal, recovery or private-investigation services.
- Do not publish all of the other person's personal details in public.
- Do not give anyone your verification codes, bank cards or account passwords.
Limits of this guide
This page maps routes to help. It does not replace the police, a lawyer, a doctor or a qualified counsellor.
Hotline coverage and procedures change. Confirm the current number through a local government or police website before relying on it.
Common questions
Will reporting expose my privacy?
The police handle case information under the law. Tell them which details are private and ask for protective measures. Do not skip reporting because of fear of exposure.
Can I report a threat without a transfer record?
Yes. Preserve the chats, account details, times and threats, then explain what happened. Whether a case is opened is a decision for the police.
Can a minor call the police directly?
Yes, call 110. Give your age, location and what you know about the other person, then contact a guardian or another trusted adult as soon as possible.
Routes to help, not legal or medical advice · Printable rights pack · Legal and help index · Editorial standards