WASHINGTON — The FBI, in partnership with the NCAA, announced a joint initiative to inform student-athletes about cyber-enabled tactics used by sexual exploitation actors to obtain and sell private images, according to a release from the FBI.
According to the release, the goal is to raise awareness so students can protect themselves and avoid further victimization. The FBI said it has determined student-athletes are frequently targeted because of their public profiles, which are often expanded through Name, Image and Likeness activity, along with their visible standing within their schools and communities. That visibility, the release states, increases both their exposure to targeting and the leverage offenders believe they hold when threatening to expose private material.
The FBI said perpetrators often use tactics that look like ordinary account-security messages to steal login credentials or one-time verification codes, including unsolicited texts claiming an account will be disabled unless the user provides a code. Offenders then use stolen access or obtained images to pressure victims, often exploiting the athlete’s concern for their reputation and standing within their school or community.
According to the release, paying an offender, negotiating with them, or sending additional images does not guarantee they will stop, and may lead to further demands. The FBI is advising victims to stop communicating with the offender, preserve any evidence, secure affected accounts, and report the incident promptly. Victims should not click suspicious links, open unknown documents, or send money, identification, or additional personal information.
The FBI and NCAA are asking coaches, compliance staff, and athletic department leadership to help distribute this information to student-athletes, noting that these adults may be the first trusted person an athlete turns to if something happens.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of this type of crime can report it at ncii.ic3.gov to have non-consensual intimate images addressed, or report incidents directly to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
This is a sensitive topic. If you or someone you know is a student-athlete experiencing this kind of exploitation or extortion, help is available through the resources listed above, and speaking with a trusted adult or counselor can be an important first step.
