NEWS RELEASE
SOUTH SIMCOE POLICE SERVICE
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The South Simcoe Police Service is reminding the community of the importance of safe online practices after receiving a new report of a sextortion scam. In the latest incident, a local youth was targeted but refused to pay the scammer and immediately told a parent, who called the police.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says sextortion reports are on the rise. In this fraud, scammers create fake profiles on social media or dating websites. They use these profiles to lure victims into a relationship and coerce them into performing sexual acts on camera. The scammer records the session and threatens to send the image or video to other people unless the victim pays or provides more sexual content.
Here are some tips on how to protect yourself:
- Don't accept social media friend requests from strangers
- Never share intimate images or videos online
- Never send money to someone you haven't met
- Recognize that live streaming can be recorded and that pre-recorded video can be livestreamed
- Familiarize yourself with social media privacy settings and consider limiting who has access to your personal information (i.e. friends list, location)
- Trust your instincts, be skeptical and cautious
- Visit this website to learn more about sextortion: https://www.cybertip.ca/en/
South Simcoe Police Service urges parents and guardians to talk to their children about online safety and the dangers of communicating with strangers. If a sextortion occurs, children should immediately tell an adult and report the incident to police. These scammers rely on fear and shame to extort children who may be too afraid or humiliated to disclose what happened. Remind children that they are not alone. Help is available.
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