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Australia is among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to sextortion, while the instances of the crime rose by 137 per cent in New Zealand.
Countries all over the world are dealing with a sharp rise in sextortion, powered by a combination of massive data breaches and artificial intelligence.
Alarmingly, Australia is no exception, with the chances of becoming a victim of this form of scam – extorting a victim by threatening to share or publish compromising images of them, either real or fake – rising by 34 per cent in 2025 so far.
The new figures come from research conducted by cyber security firm Avast, which shows that Australia is among the top 10 countries being impacted by the scam, alongside Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Italy, UAE, the UK, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic.
However, while New Zealand thankfully did not make the top 10, the country has experienced a sharp rise in the activity. In 2025, the chances of a Kiwi being targeted by sextortion scammers rose by 137 per cent.
These scammers are not only using artificial intelligence to create convincing deepfakes of their victims but also combining these images with data acquired on the dark web in the wake of large-scale data breaches. When combined with data from Google Maps, sextortion threats can become highly personalised and intensely targeted.
Avast’s researchers are tracking more than 15,000 bitcoin wallets associated with sextortion campaigns utilising Google Maps, and they fear the real number is likely far higher.
“Our findings show that sextortion victims often receive intimidating messages claiming to have access to their private videos and photos. In Australia, we’re seeing scammers exploit stolen passwords from past data breaches to add a disturbing layer of credibility,” Stephen Kho, cyber security expert for Avast, said in a statement.
“The fear of exposure, especially when personal details appear accurate, can push victims into complying with ransom demands. However, we strongly advise against responding to these scammers and instead urge victims to report these crimes.”
What to do if you’re a victim of a scam
Situations such as this can be upsetting. If you, or someone you know, needs help, we encourage you to contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. They provide 24/7 support services.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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