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If someone shared an intimate image or video of you online without your permission — or created or altered one digitally — you have rights, and online platforms have legal obligations to help you. Under the Take It Down Act, platforms must give you an easy way to submit a takedown request and must take the content down within 48 hours. If a platform fails to do that, you can report it to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov. This guidance applies whether the image was originally shared by you or someone else, and whether it was posted by a partner, ex-partner, or a stranger.

Your Rights and the Platform's Obligations

The FTC's Consumer Advice explains that when an intimate photo or video of you is shared online without your consent, you are not without recourse. Two things are true at once:

• You have rights. You did not consent to the image being shared, and that matters legally and practically.
• Platforms have obligations. The law requires platforms to provide an easy way for you to submit a takedown request — and to act on it within 48 hours.

This covers two situations the FTC specifically names:

1. Someone shared an intimate image or video of you online without your permission.
2. Someone digitally altered or created an intimate image of you (for example, a "deepfake" or AI-generated image).

Both are treated as violations of your trust and privacy, and both trigger the platform's responsibility to respond.

How to Submit a Takedown Request

The exact steps depend on the platform, but the general process works like this:

1. Find the platform's reporting or takedown tool. The law requires platforms to give you an easy way to submit a request, so look for a dedicated reporting form or a "report" option on the content itself.
2. Submit your request. Provide enough detail for the platform to identify the content — typically a link to the post or image, and a statement that it was shared without your consent.
3. Note the time you submitted it. The 48-hour clock is the key deadline. Keeping a record of when you filed helps if you later need to report the platform.
4. Watch for the response. If the platform removes the content within 48 hours, the immediate issue is resolved. If it doesn't, move to the next step.

Expected result: The platform removes the content within 48 hours of your request. If that doesn't happen, the platform itself has violated its obligation.

If the Platform Doesn't Take It Down

When a platform fails to quickly take down your intimate images, the FTC wants to hear about it. The Consumer Advice page states directly: report them to the FTC at TakeItDown.ftc.gov.

This is a separate action from your takedown request. You are not just asking the platform again — you are reporting the platform's failure to a federal agency that can act on it.

What to have ready when you report

• The link or location of the content
• When you submitted your takedown request
• What response (or lack of response) you received from the platform

Protecting Your Privacy Along the Way

Reporting and takedown requests can feel exposing, so it helps to limit how much you share and with whom:

• Submit only what's required. Platforms and the FTC need enough to identify the content and the violation — not a broader explanation of your personal life.
• Use the official channels. Go directly to the platform's reporting tool and to TakeItDown.ftc.gov rather than through third parties.
• Keep your own records. Save confirmation emails, screenshots of timestamps, and any replies. These support a report if the platform doesn't comply.

Related Situations the FTC Covers

The same Consumer Advice site addresses a related threat: stalkerware. An abusive partner or ex-partner can use apps and programs known as stalkerware to secretly track your device and online activity. If someone is both sharing your images and monitoring your device, the FTC's guidance on recognizing and responding to stalkerware is worth reading alongside this.

The FTC also maintains a general fraud reporting channel at ReportFraud.ftc.gov for scams and bad business practices, and offers free credit reports and consumer alerts through the same site.

Quick Reference

The core takeaway: you have a right to have this content removed, the platform has a 48-hour obligation to act, and the FTC provides a direct channel to report platforms that fail.

The FTC will never demand payment, ask for your Social Security number, or threaten you with arrest to get you to act. If someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission does any of those things, it's a scam. The real FTC contacts people mainly to gather information about fraud or to share consumer alerts — not to collect money or sensitive data on the spot. This guide explains how impersonators operate, the warning signs to watch for, and what to do if you're targeted.

How FTC impersonators operate

Scammers spoof the FTC's name, phone number, and even its logo to make their pitch look official. According to Consumer Advice, a common pattern is a caller or message claiming to be from the FTC and warning that:

• You're under investigation or about to be arrested.
• You owe money and must pay immediately to avoid legal trouble.
• Your identity has been compromised and you need to "verify" personal details.
• You've won a prize or refund, but must pay a fee or share account information first.

The FTC also warns about scammers impersonating other trusted institutions — utility companies, farm equipment businesses, and government agencies — using the same pressure tactics. The impersonation is the hook; the goal is always your money or your personal information.

Warning signs to check

Use these signals to separate a real FTC contact from an impersonator:

If any of these appear, treat the contact as fraudulent regardless of how official it sounds.

How to verify and report

1. Stop the conversation. Don't confirm or share any personal or financial information. Hang up or stop replying.
2. Verify independently. Don't use contact details the caller gave you. Go directly to the official site — consumer.ftc.gov or ftc.gov — to check whether the message matches anything the agency actually publishes.
3. Report the fraud. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reporting helps the FTC and its partners fight fraud and protect others in your community.
4. Report identity theft if information was shared. If you gave out personal data, use IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
5. Check your credit. You can get your free credit report to spot unauthorized activity.
6. Sign up for alerts. Consumer alerts from the FTC can help you recognize new scam patterns as they emerge.

If you already engaged

If you paid a scammer or gave them access to your computer or phone, Consumer Advice's guidance on "What To Do if You Were Scammed" applies: act quickly, contact your bank or payment provider, secure your accounts, and report the incident. The sooner you report, the better the chance of limiting damage.

The bottom line

A genuine FTC contact won't demand payment, threaten you, or pressure you for personal information. When in doubt, stop, verify through official channels, and report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Sharing what you know — with the FTC and with people around you — is one of the most effective ways to help shut these scams down.

consumer.ftc.gov is the official consumer education website of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a U.S. government agency. It publishes plain-language guidance on scams, identity theft, and online safety, and it links to official tools for reporting fraud, reporting identity theft, and getting a free credit report. Use it when you want to check whether something is a scam, learn what to do after being scammed, or file a report with the FTC. It is an information and reporting site, not a place that resolves individual disputes or recovers money for you.

What the site is

The site is branded "Consumer Advice" and describes itself as the official website of the FTC, which states it has protected America's consumers for over 100 years. That government origin is the main reason to treat it as a trustworthy reference: the content is published by the agency itself rather than by a private company.

Its stated purpose is consumer protection information, organized around practical topics such as shopping and donating, identity theft, and online security.

What you can do there

The site groups its content into a few recurring functions:

• Read articles and guides on specific problems, such as what to do if you were scammed, or how to spot scammers pretending to be your utility company.
• Read consumer alerts about scams currently being reported, such as scammers impersonating farm equipment businesses.
• Report fraud through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Report identity theft and get a free credit report.
• Sign up for consumer alerts by email.
• Report platforms that fail to remove intimate images, via TakeItDown.ftc.gov, under the Take It Down Act.

The site also encourages "Pass It On" — sharing what you learn with others to help them avoid the same scams.

How to use it in practice

1. Identify the problem. If you suspect a scam, look for an article or alert matching the situation (for example, a fake utility bill or a fake equipment seller).
2. Follow the recommended action. Articles explain what to do if you paid a scammer, or if you gave someone your personal information or access to your computer or phone.
3. File a report if appropriate. Reporting goes through the FTC's dedicated reporting pages, and the site notes that reports help fight fraud and protect your community.
4. Check your credit if identity theft is involved, using the free credit report route the site points to.

Expected result: you get official guidance and, where relevant, a report on file with the FTC. Note that a report is not a case filed on your behalf — the site frames reporting as a way to help fight fraud, not as a guarantee of individual recovery.

A concrete example

Suppose someone calls claiming to be your gas or electric company and demands immediate payment. The site has an article specifically on scammers pretending to be your utility company, explaining how to spot the scam. You read it, recognize the pattern, and then use the reporting link if you want to flag it. That is the typical flow: learn the pattern, then report.

What it is not

• It is not a private review site or a blog — it is government-published consumer advice.
• It does not appear to charge for access; the site presents its articles, alerts, and reporting tools as consumer services. (No pricing is stated on the page, so treat any cost question as unconfirmed.)
• It does not act as your lawyer or recover your losses; it informs you and collects reports.

If your goal is to understand a scam, learn your options after being targeted, or file an official report, consumer.ftc.gov is the right starting point. If your goal is to resolve a specific dispute or get money back, expect to be directed to guidance and reporting rather than direct intervention.

If you were scammed, Consumer Advice (consumer.ftc.gov) says to act quickly: report the fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, then take steps based on what you lost — money, personal information, or access to your computer or phone. If you gave out personal information, also watch for identity theft and get your free credit report. The exact order depends on what the scammer got from you.

First, report it to the FTC

The FTC's site points to ReportFraud.ftc.gov as the place to report fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Reporting helps law enforcement and also protects your community, because the FTC uses reports to build cases and issue consumer alerts.

What to have ready when you report:

• What happened, in your own words
• How the scammer contacted you (call, text, email, website, social media)
• What you paid or shared, and how (card, gift card, wire, crypto, login details)
• Any names, phone numbers, emails, or account handles involved

You do not need to be certain it was a scam to report it.

Then act based on what the scammer got

If you paid someone you think is a scammer

• Contact your bank, credit card company, or payment app right away and explain that you sent money to a scammer. Ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed.
• If you paid with a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, tell the provider immediately — these are the hardest payments to recover, so speed matters.
• Keep records: receipts, confirmation numbers, messages, and the report number you get from the FTC.

If you gave a scammer your personal information

• Assume identity theft is possible and monitor your accounts.
• Get your free credit report and check for accounts or inquiries you don't recognize.
• Consider placing a free fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus if you see suspicious activity.
• Report identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov, which the FTC runs as the government's one-stop resource for recovery plans.

If you gave a scammer access to your computer or phone

• Disconnect the device from the internet.
• Run a security scan and change passwords for accounts you accessed on that device, starting with email and banking.
• If stalkerware or tracking software is a concern, Consumer Advice has guidance on how to tell if someone is tracking your device and what to do about it.

Watch for follow-up scams

After a scam, your information often gets passed around. Be skeptical of anyone who contacts you offering to "recover" your money, fix your credit, or handle your case for a fee — recovery scams target people who already lost money once.

Get ongoing consumer alerts

Consumer Advice offers free consumer alerts by email so you can learn about new scams as they appear. The site also publishes articles and alerts on topics like shopping and donating, identity theft and online security, and impersonation scams — for example, scammers pretending to be utility companies or farm equipment businesses.

Quick reference

The FTC's core message is simple: report the fraud, then take the specific recovery steps that match what you lost — and don't wait, because the fastest actions are the ones most likely to limit the damage.

Stalkerware is monitoring software that someone installs on your phone, tablet, or computer — usually without your knowledge — to secretly track your location, messages, calls, photos, and online activity. If you suspect it's on your device, the safest approach is to avoid tipping off the person who may have installed it, get a safe device to research your options, and consider reaching out to a domestic violence advocate before you remove anything. The FTC's Consumer Advice site (consumer.ftc.gov) covers stalkerware specifically as a form of technology-facilitated abuse, typically by a current or former intimate partner.

How stalkerware works

Stalkerware (sometimes called spyware or monitoring apps) is designed to run quietly in the background. Common capabilities include:

• Location tracking — GPS history, real-time location, or geofencing alerts
• Message and call monitoring — reading texts, chat apps, and call logs
• Keystroke logging — capturing passwords and everything typed
• Camera and microphone access — remote viewing or recording
• Screen and app activity — seeing which apps you open and when

It differs from legitimate "family safety" apps in one key way: consent. A monitoring app installed by a partner who wants to control or frighten you is stalkerware, even if the underlying app is marketed for parental use.

Signs someone may be tracking your device

No single sign proves stalkerware is present, but the FTC and safety advocates point to patterns like these:

• The person knows things they shouldn't — where you went, who you called, what you searched for
• Your battery drains unusually fast, or your device feels hot when idle
• Your phone shows unfamiliar apps, or settings you didn't change
• Data usage spikes without a clear reason
• Your device restarts or behaves oddly after the person has had physical access to it

Physical access is the most common way stalkerware gets installed, so a partner who has had your phone — even briefly — is a relevant factor.

What to do if you suspect stalkerware

The FTC's guidance emphasizes safety over speed. Removing stalkerware can alert the person monitoring you, which may increase danger.

1. Don't confront the person or immediately delete the app if you're in an unsafe situation. Abusers sometimes escalate when they lose access.
2. Use a safe device — a friend's phone, a library computer, or a new device the person doesn't know about — to research and get help.
3. Contact a domestic violence advocate before taking technical steps. Organizations like the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help you plan safely.
4. Consider a factory reset or a new device rather than just uninstalling an app. Some stalkerware leaves hidden components behind.
5. Change passwords from a safe device, starting with email and any account tied to your phone or cloud backup.
6. Review account access — check for unfamiliar devices logged into your Google, Apple, or social accounts and remove them.

Reporting stalkerware

You can report stalkerware and related abuse to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reports help law enforcement and the FTC identify patterns, even if the FTC can't resolve your individual case. If you're in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first.

The FTC also maintains resources on identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov and offers free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com if you're concerned your personal information has been exposed.

Key takeaway

Stalkerware is secret monitoring software, most often installed by a current or former partner. The signs are subtle — unexplained knowledge, battery drain, unfamiliar apps — and the response should prioritize your physical safety over quickly removing the software. Use a safe device, talk to an advocate, and report to the FTC when it's safe to do so.