UK POLICE WARN OF ‘SEXTORTION’ SCAMS AGAINST TEENAGE BOYS

LONDON—UK law enforcement issued an urgent warning on Monday about criminal gangs overseas targeting teens in online sextortion scams.

“Sextortion” is a type of blackmail where criminals threaten to release nude or seminude photos of someone— either real or fake—unless the victim pays up.

Cases—particularly against teenage boys—are soaring worldwide, according to NGOs and police.

Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) issued an alert to hundreds of thousands of teachers telling them to be aware of the threat their pupils might face.

It said that gangs based in West Africa and Southeast Asia are targeting young people in the west, particularly Britain, the United States, Australia, the New Zealand and Canada.

The scammers often pose as another young person, making contact on social media before moving to encrypted messaging apps and encouraging the victim to share intimate images.

Blackmail

They often make their blackmail demands within an hour of making contact and are motivated by extorting as much money as possible rather than sexual gratification, the NCA said.

“A lot of victims feel responsible but we need them to know this is absolutely not the case. You are not to blame and help and support is available,” said James Babbage, NCA’s director general for threats.

Global cases more than doubled from 10,700 in 2022 to 26,700 last year, according to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an NGO.

All age groups and genders are being targeted but a large proportion of victims are boys aged between 14 and 18.

Nine out of 10 of the UK cases dealt with by the Internet Watch Foundation, a UK watchdog, in 2023 concerned male victims, the NCA said.

The NCA issued guidance to teachers about spotting abuse signs, supporting young people and encouraging them to seek help.