Grace Palo
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) According to a police report, at least 14 individuals have reported being the victim of an online sexual extortion scam, known as “sextortion,” so far this year in Fairfax County.
The scam includes someone setting up fake social media accounts, whether those are Facebook, Skype, Twitter or dating sights, that then befriend potential victims online. They encourage their victims to send inappropriate or risque photos, then threaten to post those photos online if the scammer is not paid. “They quickly make you believe that there’s a real connection there, that they’re genuinely interested in you,” Fairfax Police spokeswoman Officer Tawny Wright told WMAL.
Often times the cases was difficult or impossible to prosecute these cases, because often times the scammers are located outside of the U.S. using a screen name that is untraceable. “They constantly create new usernames, new emails, new personalities. They just go through them and discard them and it’s almost impossible to keep track of,” Officer Wright said.
The “sextortion” victims in cases reported this year in Fairfax County range in ages from 16 to 58. “In 11 of the 14 cases, the victims were men,” Officer Wright said.
Fairfax County Police remind everyone to be careful when talking to anyone who’s a stranger or unfamiliar to you. Do not share photos or video of yourself with anyone you have never met in person; even then, do not share explicit imagery online, particularly with someone you’ve only known a short time. Be extremely cautious about strangers online who friend you or initiate contact. Fake profiles are easy to create.
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(Photo: CNN)
