More people targeted by online ‘sextortion’ gangs
CRIMINAL gangs are trying to blackmail people in south Wales by threatening to share sexual images of them.
Police say there has been a rise in the numbers of reports of sextortion and have urged those who are targeted to tell detectives.
Those responsible are usually organised criminal gangs, based abroad, who trawl for victims via social media and dating apps.
The criminals gain the trust of their victims – who are a wide range of ages – by duping them into speaking to them online.
They then ask the victims to perform a sexual act via webcam, enticing them to do so by showing pre-recorded videos purporting to show them doing the same.
However, what the victim does is recorded and then used to try to blackmail them into paying large sums of money to prevent the footage being sent on to people they know.
So far in 2018 South Wales Police has received 42 reports of sextortion, the equivalent of five cases a fortnight.
In the last four months of 2017, 32 cases were reported to South Wales Police.
In some of these cases, victims have received demands for several thousand pounds.
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Cronick from South Wales Police Major Crime Team said: “Unfortunately we are continuing to see an escalation in this type of crime, which is carried out by criminal gangs across online and social media platforms, whether that’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or Skype, or dating apps including Tinder, Bumble and Plenty of Fish.
“These crimes often go underreported, because victims may feel embarrassed.
“However, we want to let victims know about how they can protect themselves and what they should do if they are targeted.
“If you are a victim of sextortion, please don’t panic, don’t pay, don’t engage further with these criminals and don’t delete any correspondence. Call police on 101 and we will help you.
“If you have paid, please still report the matter to police and we will provide assistance and support while we investigate the circumstances.”
South Wales Police has urged people using social media not to accept friend requests from strangers, to be aware of who they are speaking to online, and to review their privacy settings to protect themselves.
DCI Cronick added: “Crimes such as these usually follow weeks of grooming via social media by criminal gangs who will prey on any vulnerability they can find.
“After enticing the victim to send indecent or sexually explicit photos or videos of themselves, they then blackmail them to prevent it being released to friends and family.
“These criminal networks are run on a huge scale using sophisticated means, all under the guise of someone looking for romance online.
“However, their sole intention is to make as much money as they can with no thought towards the appalling emotional damage inflicted on their victims.
“Our priority is to keep people safe. There is no hiding place for these criminals anywhere. UK police forces work closely with the National Crime Agency and worldwide law enforcement to hunt them down.”
Earlier this month DyfedPowys Police also issued a warning after seeing an increase in cases.
There were seven known cases in just three weeks, with one victim being told to pay £6,000 after being contacted through Instagram.
Dyfed-Powys Detective Sergeant Rob Gravelle said: “The first thing we would urge is don’t panic and don’t respond to blackmail threats. Report it to police immediately.
“What is really important is for victims to feel empowered to report sextortion and blackmail without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. You are not alone, and it is very likely that other people will have been targeted by these criminals.”
He added: “Your call will be treated sensitively, and by reporting incidents you could help prevent other people from becoming victims.”