Sexual Exploitation Actors Stealing and Leaking Explicit Content

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns the public about sexual exploitation (SE) actors targeting adult and underage victims1 by illegally accessing their social media and personal accounts to steal and post their explicit content (also known as non-consensual intimate images, or NCII) for sale on criminal marketplaces. SE actors are using a variety of social engineering and cyber intrusion tactics to target specific individuals of interest — who may or may not be known to the actor — or general targets of opportunity. Once the sexually explicit images or videos are accessed and stolen, typically unbeknownst to the victim, SE actors are sharing or posting the content within community forums or selling them to illicit marketplaces. Personally identifiable information — such as name, date of birth, email, phone number, and social media username — is often posted along with the victim's explicit content, exposing them to continued re-victimization.

How Explicit Content is Accessed and Exposed

The FBI has observed SE actors using various tactics for illegal access to victim accounts, including: