The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is sounding the alarm on a fast-growing online scam that is zeroing in on Tennessee kids and teenagers. On Monday, the agency warned parents, educators and caregivers about a sharp rise in financial sextortion after new national data showed a surge in cases, and said its Internet Crimes Against Children unit is already working a substantial number of investigations across the state.
National Data Shows Sextortion Spike
Fresh numbers from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children show just how quickly this crime has taken off. The group’s CyberTipline logged more than 50,000 reports of financially motivated sextortion in 2025, an average of 137 reports per day, up sharply from roughly 36,000 in 2024, according to NCMEC. Many of those reports involve teenage boys, and the spike has tracked with changes in how online predators approach and pressure young people.
TBI: Tennessee Cases Already Piling Up
On the ground in Tennessee, investigators say they are already seeing the toll. The TBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children squad currently has four agents focusing on sextortion cases and is trying to identify and locate more than 150 child victims in the state, the agency said in a public post. TBI is urging families to report suspected sextortion immediately to local law enforcement and to NCMEC’s CyberTipline.
How Predators Operate And Who Gets Hit
Research from child-safety organization Thorn, which analyzed CyberTipline reports, finds that financially driven sextortion schemes often target boys aged 14 to 17. Offenders typically set up fake social media profiles, make quick contact, then try to move conversations to private or encrypted apps where it is harder for adults and platforms to intervene. Thorn and other analyses note that Instagram and Snapchat show up frequently in reports, and that payments often run through tools like Cash App, e-gift cards and other instant-payment services. Experts describe a rapid pattern of exploitation: once an image is obtained, the threats and demands for money usually start almost immediately.
Practical Steps For Parents And Schools
Law enforcement and child-safety advocates say the key is not to panic, not to pay and not to go silent. The best move is to refuse the extortion demands, save every bit of evidence, and report the incident to authorities. The FBI offers step-by-step guidance for victims and caregivers, and additional reporting help is available through the NCMEC CyberTipline.
For immediate assistance, the Know2Protect tipline is available at 1-833-591-KNOW. Officials say schools should make sure students are encouraged to speak up to a trusted adult rather than worry about getting into trouble. Families are also urged to preserve screenshots, messages, and device logs so investigators have what they need to move quickly.
“Education is our strongest defense against financial sextortion,” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Burghardt said in the TBI post, urging children to tell a trusted adult and to never pay a blackmailer. The bureau stressed that victims are not to blame and that fast reporting can help preserve crucial evidence and support criminal charges when appropriate.
