Sextortion is Rife....

 

Romance scams involving naked pictures for extortion, often called "sextortion," typically follow a pattern where scammers build trust online, then manipulate victims into sharing explicit images, which are used to demand money or other favors.

Sextortion is often associated with younger people, BUT this happens at all ages and it is no less important or dangerous whatever the age of the victim, male or female.

Always make sure your Friends and Followers are hidden. As, if you are talking to someone online they will list those close to you to use that list later in their blackmail.

How It Works:

Scammers create fake profiles on dating apps (e.g., Tinder, Grindr), social media (e.g., Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok), or even professional platforms like LinkedIn, using stolen pictures of attractive individuals !

They quickly move conversations to private platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram to avoid detection.Vangi is a one used and Signal.

Victims are talked into sending nude or explicit photos, sometimes through flattery or promises of a relationship.

Scammers may also use AI to create fake explicit images, meaning victims can be targeted even without sharing real photos.

Once images are sent… and remember YOU HAVE SENT THEM AND THEY ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE OTHER PERSON THEN. Scammers threaten to share them with the victim’s family, friends, or online unless payment (often $500–$700 in cryptocurrency, gift cards, or bank wires) is made.

Red Flags:

Strangers initiating contact with no mutual connections or unverified profiles.

Rapid escalation to sexual conversations ANY requests for explicit images.

Pressure to move communication off the original platform.

Poor English still exists even with apps to help them… watch out for this.

Threats to share images with specific contacts, often gathered from social media.

What to Do if Targeted:

Stay Calm: Easier said than done, to Panic is natural but it leads to wrong decisions. . Scammers exploit fear, but many threats are bluffs. They are bullies… and those threats are by text.

Stop Communication: Do not engage or negotiate. Block the scammer on all platforms after documenting their contact details. BLOCK BLOCK AND BLOCK! Silence… do not at all answer them even to tell them to go away!

Document Evidence: Take screenshots of all messages, threats, and the scammer’s profile or contact info for legal purposes.

Do Not Pay: Paying WILL leads to more demands. Scammers rarely stop after receiving money.They will make you pay every week..not once.

Secure Accounts: Update privacy settings, change passwords, and remove personal details from social media. Consider using a VPN for added security. 2 FACTOR AUTHENTICATION. WE can help you or Google it… you really need it.

Report the Incident:

Contact local police or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at tips.fbi.gov.

Report to the platform where the scam occurred (e.g., Instagram, WhatsApp) with screenshots.

For minors, use the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline (report.cybertip.org).

For image removal, use services like StopNCII.org (adults) or Take It Down (minors).

Seek Support: Tell a trusted friend, family member, or counselor. For mental health crises, contact the 988 suicide hotline.

In the UK 116 123. Samaritans. Come to us, we have talked to many in this situation just don’t sit and keep it all to yourself.

Prevention Tips:

NEVER SHARE explicit images with strangers or new online contacts. Even when you can verify who it is. NEVER EVER SEND COMPROMISING MATERIAL TO ANYONE ELECTRONICALLY.

Crop out identifiable features (face, tattoos, backgrounds) if sharing images, and disable location data on photos.

Use strong, unique passwords and adjust privacy settings to limit public access to your profiles.

Be skeptical of unsolicited messages or overly eager romantic advances online.

Key Statistics:

In 2022, romance scams, including sextortion, led to $1.3 billion in losses, with 70,000 reported cases.

Sextortion reports have increased eightfold since 2019, with 58% starting on social media, especially Instagram and Snapchat.

Teen boys (14–17) are frequent targets, but anyone can be victimized. We see many in 60’s to 9-0’s !

Additional Notes:

Scammers may use deepfake technology to create fake explicit images, increasing the threat even for those who haven’t shared nudes.

Some cases involve organized crime, with untraceable payment methods and frequent phone number changes.