The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is warning parents about a sharp increase in financial sextortion cases targeting children and teenagers, as new national data shows the crime continues to grow.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), more than 50,000 reports of financially motivated sextortion were received in 2025, averaging 137 reports each day. That’s up from more than 36,000 reports in 2024.
The TBI said the problem is also growing in Tennessee. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Burghardt said the agency’s four Internet Crimes Against Children investigators are currently working to identify and locate more than 150 child victims across the state.
Investigators said predators often communicate privately with children online, then threaten to share explicit images unless the victim sends money. In many cases, the child is the only person aware of the abuse until it is reported to law enforcement.
The TBI also warned that offenders are moving conversations to private messaging and encrypted apps more quickly, making the crimes harder to detect.
Officials encourage parents and caregivers to talk with children about financial sextortion before they become victims. They also stress that children should tell a trusted adult immediately if they are targeted and should never pay or cooperate with a blackmailer, as doing so often leads to additional demands.
Anyone who believes a child has been victimized should contact their local law enforcement agency and report the incident to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
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