The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit says it continues to see several files involving the same type of scam.
Various apps and games are used to get young people to share intimate images. The perpetrator often poses a similar aged youth. The next step will be extortion as the suspect demands money otherwise, they will send those images to friends, family and social media contacts.
The ICE Unit says the suspects are often located outside of Canada, which limits officers’ investigative abilities. The images stay online, and police cannot stop them from being shared on the internet.
The best advice is to never share private images or information, such as emails, usernames, and passwords. Suspects can use the acquired information to set up new accounts under the assumed identity and the process continues.
The ICE Unit has the following online safety tips for families.
1. Have regular conversations about online safety. This includes talking about the online
games your kids are playing, the apps they’re using, and who they are chatting with. For
tips on how to get the discussion started, visit protectkidsonline.ca for age-appropriate
ideas.
2. Set the expectation you will monitor your child’s online activities, and work together to
establish guidelines around texting, social media, live streaming, and gaming, such as
who your child can do these things with and on what apps.
3. For younger children, help them create their login, password, and profile information
ensuring it is set to private. For tweens and teens, help set up privacy settings in
apps/games/social accounts. With a private account, users can approve or deny
followers/friends, restrict who can view their content and profile information, and limit
incoming messages to followers/friends only. Work together to decide who to accept as
followers/friends.
4. Tell your child that if they come across something or someone while online that makes
them feel uncomfortable, they can tell you without fear of getting in trouble or losing
digital privileges. Remind them their safety is what is most important to you.
5. If you see, read, or hear anything sexual from an adult towards your child online, report
it to Cybertip.ca
