SEX SCAM WARNING

Men caught in online trap

MALES live-streaming themselves performing sex acts via Facebook are being extorted by online scammers.

Police are warning males against the behaviour after “several” across the region sent money overseas attempting to stop scammers sharing recordings of the private encounters online.

Geelong Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Terry Hay said scammers recorded victims as they live-streamed through the Facebook Messenger app.

“They are setting them up from the start and grooming them,” SenSgt Hay said. “Payments are being made in some instances and the blackmailer is asking for more.”

Sen-Sgt Hay said bank accounts and mobile phone numbers linked to the scams had been traced to the Philippines, but police were not aware where the scam was being carried out from.

“We don’t know if this is one person or a group of people. What they are preying on is people’s embarrassment.”

A rise in similar incidents in recent weeks has prompted police to warn males against performing sex acts online.

“There’s enough of a trend for us to tell people that you need to be careful of this,” Sen-Sgt Hay said.

He said many of the males were responding to what appeared to be Asian women sending friend requests. “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.”

Sen-Sgt Hay said there was not a specific age group of males being targeted by the scammers who endeavoured to strike up a sexually explicit conversation.

The Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network website provides education and prevention information to the public.

It is a secure reporting service for cybercrime incidents that may be in breach of Australian law including hacking, online scams or fraud, identity theft, and online stalking including cyber-bullying. Some reports are directed to police and government agencies for further investigation.

Police urge anyone scammed online to report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.