Big rise in ‘sextortion’ reports during pandemic

CASES of blackmail over online sex pictures more than doubled in the West Midlands during the pandemic.

Figures show there were 270 reports of sextortion – where a victim is pressured for money by someone threatening to share nude or sexual images or video – or similar online blackmail cases, recorded by West Midlands Police in 2020/21.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said this type of blackmail is often carried out by professional criminals.

Victims, who are usually male, are often contacted through social media and dating websites.

Often the approach is by someone who appears to be an attractive woman, who entices them into performing sexual acts on camera or sending explicit images.

The women either don’t exist or may have been coerced into taking part using financial incentives or threats, with those really behind the approach using the video or images to extort money from victims.

The number of reports in the West Midlands was up 113 per cent from 17 in 2019/20, according to the figures obtained following a Freedom of Information request. Of the reports in 2020/21, most (241) involved victims aged over 18, although there were four cases involving under 16s and 22 involving people aged 16 to 18.

Last year, five people were charged after a report of sextortion, and one person was cautioned.

In 225 cases, the investigation was closed without a suspect identified, while 29 cases couldn’t go forward due to evidential difficulties, including nine where a suspect was identified but the victim no longer supported action.

Across Britain 3,984 cases of sextortion or online blackmail involving webcams or social media were reported to police in 2020/21, more than double the 1,773 reported in 2019/20.

The figures are based on FOI responses from 39 out of 44 police forces across Britain. The number of sextortion cases may be even higher – not only did not all forces provide figures, not all cases may be included.