RCMP Issue Warning About Rapid Increase In Extortion Reports
Meeting someone on line might seem great with the conversation moving from what one party might consider friendship, love and then to something called cybersex but the Saskatchewan RCMP has a warning out there.
Think twice and maybe reconsider flashing your weenie, or any other intimate body part for that matter to strangers, because extortion, or rather specifically, sextortion has seen a massive increase this year.
Sextortion is where somebody uses intimate photos of the victim to extract money through extortion.
And according to the Saskatchewan RCMP extortion is up 200 percent from last year.
From January to June 20 23 the RCMP has received 105 reports of extortion, whereas in the same period in 2022 there were 36 reports filed from communities in Saskatchewan serviced by the RCMP.
The majority of these reports are what is commonly called "sextortion" the Saskatchewan RCMP said in a news release.
According to the RCMP victims, typically meet someone online through common platforms like social media, gaming or dating sites.
“The suspect persuades the victim to send a nude photo or video, then threatens to send it to the victim's contacts or post it publicly, unless payment is made. Even if the victim hasn't sent a photo or video, the scammers may alter photos to make it look like they did,” the release stated.
Other scammers are telling victims they have hacked their contacts and are set to make public details of alleged improper actions on the Internet, unless they are paid a fee.
The RCMP stated in the release these extortions can be extremely traumatic to victims with some victims, losing money by attempting to pay off the scammers through gift cards, E transfers or cryptocurrency.
"A 200% increase is alarming – due to the sensitive nature of these extortions, we believe these files are likely under-reported to police," says Monica Deters, a crime analyst with Saskatchewan RCMP's Crime Prevention/Crime Reduction unit said a statement.
“Based on the statistics we're seeing, we're letting Saskatchewan residents know these extortions are happening and that should be taking steps to protect themselves from these types of crime,” Deters added in the statement.
The RCMP included a list of steps to help prevent people from becoming victims:
You never really know who you're talking to online. Be aware that some scammers pretend to be other people to earn your trust.
Don't send intimate photos or videos. As soon as they are sent to someone or are posted online, you lose control of them.
Monitor your child's online activity, including their social media use and search history. Have frequent conversations about online safety.
If you are a victim:
Immediately stop talking to the suspect.
Deactivate (don't delete) any social media accounts you are using to communicate with them.
Keep any record of conversations with the suspect.
Don't send money or gift cards.
Contact police.