Blackmail or fraud online: what to do if it happens to you in Spain (017, police report and image removal)

A message that says "I have your photos and will send them to your family unless you pay" is one of the worst things to receive, and in the lifestyle, where discretion matters so much, criminals know it. The first thing to grasp is that whoever is blackmailing you is counting on your fear and your haste. This guide sets out, step by step, what to do in Spain: what INCIBE, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) and authorities elsewhere advise, based on pages read on 7 November 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. If you think there is immediate danger, call 112.

What is happening: two common schemes

Sextortion. Someone contacts you (or contacts you from a hacked account of someone you know), moves you to a private chat, the conversation turns sexual very quickly, you are pressed to send intimate images or videos, and then you are threatened with their release unless you pay. The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) describes it this way and adds that threats can involve real, stolen, manipulated or AI-generated images, and that demands are usually for money, gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Romance fraud. A fake profile builds a relationship with quick declarations of affection and sooner or later asks for money for medical bills, tickets, fees or emergencies. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lists as warning signs a wish to switch channels, living far away, avoiding meeting in person and a profile photo that appears under other names.

First steps, in this order

1. Do not pay or comply. The NCA is clear: payment does not guarantee the threats will stop, and demands often increase. The FTC adds that you should not send more images or give access to your accounts or devices. If you have already paid, do not pay anything more.
2. Cut all communication and block the contact everywhere you spoke. This is INCIBE's advice.
3. Keep all possible evidence. INCIBE spells it out: the threatening messages, the phone number, the username on the platform. Delete nothing, including conversations, screenshots and payment receipts.
4. Remember it is not your fault. Criminals deceive, manipulate or fabricate images. Do not let shame keep you silent.
5. Tell your partner or someone you trust. If you are a couple, do it together; a threat loses much of its power when there is nothing to hide between you.

Call 017 for guidance

INCIBE's cybersecurity helpline (017) is free, confidential and personalised, open every day from 8:00 to 23:00. A multidisciplinary team offers technical, psychosocial and legal advice. Besides the phone, you can reach it by WhatsApp (save 900116117 in your contacts first), Telegram (@INCIBE017) and an email form. The page says it handles scams, fraud and other cybersecurity problems; it does not name sextortion explicitly on that page, but INCIBE covers sextortion elsewhere and it is a good first contact.

Report it

INCIBE recommends filing a complaint with the state security forces, bringing the evidence you have gathered and the device itself. You can go to the Policía Nacional (091), the Guardia Civil (062) or the relevant regional or local police. Bring screenshots, profile addresses, numbers and payment receipts, and do not delete the original content. Also report to the platform or app (and to WhatsApp if the contact moved there) so the account can be blocked.

Ask for removal of images already published

If your images are circulating, search for your name and profile on search engines and social networks. INCIBE suggests that self-search (known as egosurfing) and recommends the AEPD priority channel.

The AEPD priority channel lets you ask for the immediate removal of sensitive content published online: photographs, videos or audio of a sexual or violent nature shared without the affected person's authorisation, when their unlawful spread poses a serious risk to their rights, freedoms or physical or mental health. The page refers to its FAQ to check when the channel can and cannot be used, and gives no response times. You file through the AEPD's electronic office.

If you hold a copy of the image, StopNCII.org is a free tool for adults that helps limit its spread across participating platforms (mentioned by the NCA and the FTC).

Reducing the risk in the scene

These are editorial suggestions that follow from the warning signs above:

• Be wary of anyone who demands explicit photos to "verify" you. Genuine verification does not require them.
• Do not send images that show your face and identifying details together.
• Keep first conversations on the platform and do not move to a private chat with a stranger.
• Meet first in a public place and tell someone you trust.
• Agree the protocol before you need it: "we do not pay, we block, we keep evidence, we report". Our guides to safety and privacy and to profiles and apps can help you prepare.

Sources (consulted 7 November 2026)

• INCIBE, 017 cybersecurity helpline
• INCIBE, real case: sextortion (the steps also apply to adults)
• AEPD, Priority channel
• UK National Crime Agency, Financially motivated sexual extortion
• FTC, romance scams and image-based abuse

This article is general information and does not replace the advice of a lawyer or the authorities.