What The Tech: Sextortion Scams

CHARLOTTE , N.C.- Sextortion cases are on the rise and the FBI warns parents that reported incidents are spiking dramatically and targeting 14-17-year-old boys. A report from Snap, the company behind the app Snapchat, shows that 65% of teenagers say either they or someone they know has been targeted by criminals asking for nude photos on social media.

Sextortion is carried out by online criminals for financial gain or real-world meetups with the victims. Here’s how the blackmail generally happens: The victim, usually a young male, meets someone he thinks is a pretty girl. They typically make contact over social media or online video game communities, but the girl is actually a scammer.

After establishing a friendship of sorts, the criminal, posing as the girl, asks the victim to trade nude photos and even sends one to the boy. The photo is something the scammer found online. When the victim receives the nude photo he is pressured to send one of himself which he does.

Moments or a day or two later, the scammer contacts the victim again and asks for more photos. At some point, the criminal sends a message that they want more photos or money and if the victim doesn’t follow their instructions, the criminal threatens to share the nude photos with the
victim’s friends over social media.
Sometimes the criminal searches the victim’s social media accounts to learn where they live and go to school.

Many times the victim, feeling embarrassed, shares more photos or sends money to stop the criminal from sharing the photos.

The FBI warns parents that in most reported incidents, even if the victim sends more photos or money, the criminal will continue to ask for more.

Victims are often too scared or embarrassed to report the scam to the police or even tell their friends. In South Carolina, a young man committed suicide after a sextortion incident. Parents must talk with their children about the dangers of sharing nude photos.

If you believe you or someone you know may have been targeted, you can report it by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.