Police issue warning after ‘sextortion’ reports in east Kent

Online blackmail dangers

Detectives in east Kent are warning people of the dangers of falling victim to blackmail following a number of recent reports of ‘sextortion’ including two from Ramsgate.

‘Sextortion’ refers to a specific type of cyber-enabled crime in which victims are lured into recording themselves performing sexual acts.

Unbeknown to victims, their actions are recorded by criminals who then use the video footage to blackmail them.

Generally, victims are told to send money and if demands are not met the offenders threaten to upload the recordings or images to the internet and send them to friends and family.

Sometimes there are requests for further payment.

A victim in Ramsgate said they had met someone via an online dating website but were then being told to send money or videos and images of him would be sent out.

Another victim from Ramsgate reported that explicit images of him were sent to friends and family after he refused to pay the suspect £250.

A further victim in Canterbury reported unknown persons online were demanding money from him otherwise images of himself would be sent to his friends and family.

Detective Inspector Vanessa Law from Kent Police said: “Incidents of this nature are not exclusive to east Kent but following a number of recent reports in the area we are taking this opportunity to remind people of ways they can prevent themselves falling victim.

“We understand that victims may feel ashamed or embarrassed, but of course criminals are relying on that reaction to succeed.

“It is important that we raise awareness of this crime type and reassure victims that officers will take reports seriously and each case will be dealt with in confidence with no judgement made.

“The internet is an incredible resource but comes with its own set of unique dangers that we all need to be aware of.

“By following just a few simple measures we can protect ourselves from those who misuse technology to benefit from the misery of others.”

Advice

  • Be very careful about who you befriend online, especially if you’re considering sharing anything intimate with them.
  • 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. You could perform reverse image search for the profile image and see if it appears elsewhere on the web but in a different context, for instance it might be a stock photo of a model or of a background.
  • Even being mindful of the above, it is still best not to share intimate images or sexual acts online even with people you know. 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. Once images are out there, they are very difficult to get rid of. If it’s happened to you, don’t panic. You may naturally feel ashamed or embarrassed, but remember, you are the victim of organised criminals, you are not alone, and confidential support is available.
  • Don’t pay up. The criminal may publish the compromising images anyway, or they may come back to you for more money.
  • End all communication with the blackmailers.
  • Contact police. You can do that using any of the non-emergency methods here: https://www.kent.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/
  • If you’re under 18 years old, speak to an adult you trust immediately. They will support you. You can also get in touch with CEOP (the police Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command) https://www.ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting

11 Comments

  1. I don’t understand why people use so called “Social Media”, I have a life and there is often not enough hours in the day, and I am a pensioner!

    • I agree and I can understand people using it to keep in touch with friends and family who they might not see very often but frankly the other stuff is nonsense to me

    • Always keep your laptop camera covered.

      I once worked for a company, where they could spy on you through the laptop camera, on a company laptop.

  2. Makes me wonder if people actually want to be exploited, why else would you send personal photos?

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