Teen Boys Are Falling Victim to Sextortion

Unless you live in ignorant bliss, you’ve likely heard of “sextortion.” Unfortunately, with so much access to the internet, dating apps, and social media platforms today, this horrendous crime is quite prevalent today. 

According to an FBI Special Agent, “Sextortion is a serious crime that occurs when someone threatens to distribute your private and sensitive material if you don’t provide them images of a sexual nature, sexual favors, or money.”

Children and young adults are often targeted in acts of sextortion. A recent article by USA Today outlined a case involving several young males who were tricked into sending nude photos, only to be blackmailed for money. 

What Is Sextortion and Why Are Young Males Being Targeted?

One boy in particular, a 24-year-old who asked to remain anonymous, said he had exchanged nudes with a “woman” on a dating app only to find out it was actually a cybercriminal in Nigeria. The blackmailer then threatened to send his photos to family and friends, showing evidence that he’d found the boy’s Facebook, full name, phone number, etc. He demanded $1000—or else.

The victim relented and sent $300, but a month later, his childhood friend reached out stating she’d received the images in a Dropbox via Facebook Messenger.

“I just felt my blood get hot, and my heart went down to the center of the earth,” the 24-year-old told USA Today. “I can’t even begin to describe how embarrassing and humiliating it was.”

“Sextortion can have devastating effects on young victims from all walks of life, and it is easy to become a victim,” the FBI Special Agent said in the agency’s video outlining the crime. “Online perpetrators might gain your trust by pretending to be someone they are not. They lurk in chat rooms and record young people who post or live-stream sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, or they may hack into your electronic devices using malware to gain access to your files and control your web camera and microphone without you knowing it.”

To avoid becoming a victim of sextortion, the FBI agent advised individuals to never send compromising images to themselves or anyone else, never open attachments from people they don’t know, and always turn off their electronic devices and web cameras when not in use.

“If you are receiving sextortion threats, you are not alone,” the agent said. “Do not be afraid to talk to an adult and to call the FBI.”