Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Police warn teens over ‘sextortion’
Young people targeted by blackmailers
A teenager was pressured into performing a sex act by a blackmailer who then threatened to send footage to family and friends.
The ‘sextortion’ attempt against the Canterbury victim is one of a number of similar incidents reported to police in east Kent in recent weeks.
Detectives have received reports of threats to post intimate videos or faked photographs of victims online.
Those impacted by the blackmailing have been teenagers or those in their early 20s.
Due to the recent increase, police are warning all social media users to remain vigilant to such threats.
Perpetrators threaten to make the footage public or share it with the victims’ families unless they pay them.
In another incident, a teenager from Thanet was talked into providing a photo of themselves, and then told it would be superimposed onto a picture of a naked body and shared unless they transferred money.
Kent Police’s Detective Sergeant Vanessa Law said: “These incidents are being investigated with a view to bringing offenders to justice.
“Incidents of this kind are sadly taking place around the
country, but, following a series of reports in east Kent, we are taking this opportunity to remind people of ways they can prevent themselves from falling victim.
“I would also encourage parents to speak to their teenage children to ensure they are aware of the risks and take steps to protect themselves.
“Any victims of unreported offences should contact police. Officers take reports of this kind seriously and each case will be dealt with in confidence with no judgement made.”
Police are advising people to be very careful about who they befriend online, especially if considering sharing anything intimate.
They say the attractive person in the video chat may have been coerced themselves. A profile photo may be of someone completely different, or not represent a true location for the person. They advise performing a reverse image search for the profile image to see if it appears elsewhere on the web but in a different context, such as a stock photo of a model.
Officers warn against sharing intimate images or sexual acts online, even with people you know. They say videos can be recorded, images can be saved or have screenshots made from them, and easily published online where they can be shared and copied further.
Victims are told not to panic or feel ashamed or embarrassed, and to seek confidential support.
They are urged not to pay up, and to end all communication with the blackmailers. The criminal may publish the compromising images anyway, or may come back to ask for more money.
Police advise screenshoting any usernames, email, contact details or other information that relates to the suspect, and then report it using any of the non-emergency methods at www.kent.police.uk/contact/af/ contact-us.
Anyone under 18 is urged to speak to an adult they trust immediately, and get in touch with the police Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command.