The Saskatchewan RCMP states that there has been an increase in reports of financially motivated online sextortion scams targeting youth. A news release from the RCMP explains that financial sextortion is a form of blackmail that involves someone online who is threatening to send a sexual image or video of the victim to others if they aren’t paid.
The RCMP has received multiple reports of a scam targeting youths of all genders between 13 and 16 years old. In each case, victims were approached online and through social media by individuals who identified as females of a similar age. Once initial contact was made, the victims were asked for their Instagram username and to exchange intimate photos, which are then used as blackmail. These investigations remain ongoing.
With the increase of online sexual exploitation and sextortion cases targeting youth, parents are encouraged to talk to their children about online activities. Below are a few tips to help keep both adults and children safe online:
” Never answer messages or friend/follow requests from people you don’t know;
” Do not send photos of any kind to people you don’t know;
” Always answer video calls with the camera turned off until you know who the person calling is.
If you or your child have been targeted, please do the following:
” Report it to your local police or online via cybertip.ca.
” Immediately stop all communication with the suspect.
” Ensure that you and/or your child do not comply with the threat.
” Keep any correspondence between you or your child and the suspect.
” Remember that you are not alone.
“What we want victims of any age to know, is that they are not to blame, they will not get in trouble for reporting it, and most importantly there is life after something like this happens” says S/Sgt. Scott Lambie of the Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Branch. “There are people and resources available to help you and there are tools that exist to remove the images online. If you feel comfortable, reach out to your local police detachment or get more information at Cybertip.ca – and remember, you are not alone.”
