2026 has already seen a jump in sextortion scams - costing Kiwis thousands

Netsafe's confirmed the number of reports of sexually explicit content being used as blackmail, rose 24-percent, from 142 in December to 176 in January.

The amount of money lost also jumped, from about two-thousand to six-thousand during the same period.

Netsafe Digital Harms Service Manager Alex Yi says while many victims get in touch with Netsafe and don't pay their blackmailers, this increase suggests a significant number are parting with their cash.

Yi says this encourages scammers, and the better alternative is reaching out for help.