FBI alerts public to new wave of intimate photo theft and offers protection steps

The FBI issued a warning in mid-August that sexual-exploitation criminals are actively seeking compromising photos to monetize on the black market. These actors do not rely on a single method; they combine brute-force password testing, impersonation of social-media support staff, and phishing emails that direct victims to counterfeit login pages. Targets range from public officials and celebrities to everyday individuals, and stolen images are often sold with personal identifiers like name, birthdate and contact details.

To counter the threat, the bureau advises users to keep intimate pictures off social platforms and cloud services, store any on-device images in password-protected folders, adopt complex passwords changed every few months, use passkeys where possible, enable two-factor authentication, and avoid clicking embedded links in messages. Following these steps can reduce the likelihood of account compromise and subsequent photo exploitation.