Sextortion on the Rise in Africa is a Serious Silent Digital Crisis

Our brothers and sisters are suffering in silence. Every week, I receive an average of sixteen messages from men and women who are desperate, pleading for help to track down or stop someone who is sextorting them.

These are real people, living in fear, shame and emotional torment, often with nowhere to turn. It is a crisis hidden behind screens, but its damage is deeply personal and devastating. We cannot afford to ignore this any longer. Africa must break the silence and stand up against digital exploitation.

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where individuals are coerced into sending money or further compromising content under the threat of having intimate images or videos shared publicly, is rapidly increasing across Africa. As internet access expands across the continent, so too does the threat posed by digital predators exploiting both young and old.

This growing crisis is often underreported due to shame, fear and a lack of legal awareness. Victims are typically lured through fake romantic relationships initiated on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or dating apps. Once trust is built, the scammer convinces the victim to share explicit content and then the extortion begins.

Young men and women, particularly in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe, have been targeted in large numbers. Criminal syndicates, both local and international, record private video calls or steal personal photos through hacked devices. Victims are then threatened with exposure unless they pay a ransom, sometimes in cash, but increasingly through cryptocurrencies that are harder to trace.

Many cases go unreported due to cultural stigma. In conservative African societies, being linked to sexual content can destroy reputations and families. This is precisely what scammers exploit, often contacting victims’ friends or family members as part of their threats. Some victims have taken their own lives under pressure, highlighting the severe emotional toll.

Law enforcement agencies are often ill-equipped or unaware of the scale of the problem and few countries have specific sextortion laws. However, cybersecurity experts and digital safety advocates are working to raise awareness. Initiatives like Scam Alert Africa are urging internet users never to share intimate content online and to report threats immediately.

To protect yourself:

• Never share private images or engage in explicit conversations online with strangers.
• Use strong privacy settings on social media.
• Avoid unknown friend requests and suspicious messages.
• If you become a victim, do not pay. Report the incident to a trusted cybercrime unit, the police, or a digital safety platform.

Sextortion is a silent pandemic. The more we talk about it, the less power scammers will have. Africa must unite to break the silence, support victims and hold digital criminals accountable. The fight against sextortion begins with awareness, courage and action. We must educate our communities, empower victims to speak out and demand stronger digital protection laws across Africa.

Never share intimate content online and never suffer in silence. If you are being targeted, report it immediately; you are not alone. Together, we can break the silence, expose the predators and protect one another. Let us stand united to end sextortion in Africa.

For more details, WhatsApp +263772278161 or email info@scamalert.africa