On 18 November, the European day for the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, Child Focus (part of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre) launched the online platform “Payboy” to shed light on the issue of sextortion.
Sextortion, or sexual extortion, is a form of fraud where fake accounts are used to pressure young people into sending intimate images and extort money. Strikingly, it is mainly boys who fall victim to this crime in Belgium. This year alone, Child Focus has already opened more than 350 sextortion cases, an alarming increase of 130 per cent compared to last year.
Victims of sextortion become online friends with the perpetrator, who manipulates them into sending intimate images. They are then threatened with the distribution of these images, unless they provide more pictures or money.
In reality, perpetrators are criminal gangs who primarily target boys. Financial sextortion is the only form of sexual exploitation for which Child Focus in Belgium opens more cases involving boys (93 per cent) than girls. The organisation fears that the number of victims is even higher in reality, as boys are generally less likely to seek help than girls.
A new online platform
On 18 November 2025, Child Focus launched “Payboy”, an online platform designed to warn young people about sextortion. The name hints to the looming demand to ”pay”.
Through interactive content, videos, testimonials, and prevention tips, young people can learn how this form of deception works and how to protect themselves. The content is fully tailored to the world of young people: short, visual, and interactive.
Impact of artificial intelligence
Criminals increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) online to extort victims, making sextortion harder to detect.
On the one hand, perpetrators hide behind hyper-realistic and even animated AI-generated images that speak the victims’ language, making it nearly impossible to know that someone else is behind the profile. On the other hand, perpetrators also use AI to generate deep nudes of victims—realistic but partially or fully fake nude images or videos of a person. Victims are then blackmailed with these deep nudes.
What can victims do?
Child Focus advises victims of sextortion:
- not to pay,
- to take screenshots of the conversation,
- to stop all communication with the extortionist,
- to talk to a trusted adult.
Young victims should not face this problem alone, as it unfortunately does not disappear by itself. It is important that they seek help. Minor victims and their relatives in Belgium can always contact Child Focus via their free number 116 000, available 24/7. Sextortion is a criminal offense and can also be reported to the police.
The new platform ”Payboy” is available in English, French and Dutch.
Find more information about the work of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.
On 18 November, the European day for the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, Child Focus (part of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre) launched the online platform “Payboy” to shed light on the issue of sextortion.
Sextortion, or sexual extortion, is a form of fraud where fake accounts are used to pressure young people into sending intimate images and extort money. Strikingly, it is mainly boys who fall victim to this crime in Belgium. This year alone, Child Focus has already opened more than 350 sextortion cases, an alarming increase of 130 per cent compared to last year.
Victims of sextortion become online friends with the perpetrator, who manipulates them into sending intimate images. They are then threatened with the distribution of these images, unless they provide more pictures or money.
In reality, perpetrators are criminal gangs who primarily target boys. Financial sextortion is the only form of sexual exploitation for which Child Focus in Belgium opens more cases involving boys (93 per cent) than girls. The organisation fears that the number of victims is even higher in reality, as boys are generally less likely to seek help than girls.
A new online platform
On 18 November 2025, Child Focus launched “Payboy”, an online platform designed to warn young people about sextortion. The name hints to the looming demand to ”pay”.
Through interactive content, videos, testimonials, and prevention tips, young people can learn how this form of deception works and how to protect themselves. The content is fully tailored to the world of young people: short, visual, and interactive.
Impact of artificial intelligence
Criminals increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) online to extort victims, making sextortion harder to detect.
On the one hand, perpetrators hide behind hyper-realistic and even animated AI-generated images that speak the victims’ language, making it nearly impossible to know that someone else is behind the profile. On the other hand, perpetrators also use AI to generate deep nudes of victims—realistic but partially or fully fake nude images or videos of a person. Victims are then blackmailed with these deep nudes.
What can victims do?
Child Focus advises victims of sextortion:
- not to pay,
- to take screenshots of the conversation,
- to stop all communication with the extortionist,
- to talk to a trusted adult.
Young victims should not face this problem alone, as it unfortunately does not disappear by itself. It is important that they seek help. Minor victims and their relatives in Belgium can always contact Child Focus via their free number 116 000, available 24/7. Sextortion is a criminal offense and can also be reported to the police.
The new platform ”Payboy” is available in English, French and Dutch.
Find more information about the work of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.
- sextortion child sexual exploitation (CSE) artificial intelligence (AI) money
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