Two Northern Beaches teenage boys — including a 17-year-old from Avalon Beach — have been targeted in sextortion scams within a single week, prompting a warning from Northern Beaches Police Area Command for parents and young people to be alert to the growing threat online.
The incidents, both investigated by local police, follow a pattern that authorities say is becoming increasingly common. A scammer makes contact through a social media platform while posing as a young woman, builds a romantic conversation, and eventually persuades the target to share intimate images. Once that material is in the scammer’s hands, the mask drops — and the demands begin.
In the first case, on 3 July 2026, a scammer reached out to the Avalon Beach teenager via Instagram. After the conversation turned sexual, the boy shared private photos, at which point the person on the other end revealed himself to be a man. He demanded $500 and threatened to send the images to everyone in the boy’s contact list. The boy was directed to pay via Amazon gift card, but Amazon flagged the transaction as suspicious and blocked it. As the scammer continued pressing for money, police were called and officers attended the teen’s home — listening in as the conversation continued. Based on what was heard, police believe the offender was located in Texas, in the United States.
A second incident followed just two days later, on 5 July. A 17-year-old from Beacon Hill had been in contact with someone he believed to be a girl on social media, before the conversation was moved to the encrypted messaging app Telegram. After intimate images were exchanged, the scammer demanded $300 or threatened to forward the images to the boy’s contacts. This time, it was the teen’s parents who stepped in — blocking the offender and alerting police before any payment was made. Officers believe the person behind this scam was operating out of the Philippines.
In both cases, the boys reported the incidents to police and blocked the scammers from making any further contact.
The timing of these local incidents coincides with growing national concern. Australia’s online safety regulator received more than 3,300 reports of sexual extortion last year, with young men the most targeted group. A separate eSafety report covering the second half of 2025 found Instagram and WhatsApp were mentioned in more than 1,300 sextortion complaints during a six-month reporting period, with offenders commonly using those platforms to contact victims before requesting intimate material. The Daily AusiTech Post
Research jointly conducted by eSafety and the Australian Institute of Criminology found one in three adolescents had experienced sextortion, with more than half having that experience before they turned 16. Head Topics
The Australian eSafety Commissioner defines sextortion as a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video unless their demands are met. Police and the eSafety Commissioner advise anyone targeted to stop all contact immediately and not to pay any money or provide further images.
If you or someone you know has been affected, support is available:
- Kids Helpline (for those under 25): 1800 551 800
- Lifeline (for those 18 and over): 13 11 14 — by call, text, or chat
Further information and guidance on responding to sexual extortion is available through the Australian Government eSafety Commissioner website.
Published 13-July-2026
