PERTH COUNTY– Perth County OPP are reminding residents to follow safe internet practices following a report of another “sextortion” scam in the county.
Police say the latest report of “sextortion” received was on Aug. 22.
“Sextortion” is a form of extortion where a blackmailer uses the threat of publishing or sending intimate images or videos to contacts unless the victim meets their demands.
In this incident, police say the adult victim was communicating with an unknown person on a social media platform.
“The suspect sent the victim an intimate image and asked for one in return. The victim complied. The suspect then threatened to distribute the intimate images of the victim publicly if the victim did not send $500. The victim contacted police immediately, and no money was lost,” states an Aug. 25 release from Perth County OPP.
Police are reminding residents to not engage in conversations with strangers online, and to never share intimate images online.
What to do
In you find yourself in a similar situation, police offer the following tips:
- immediately stop all communication with the person and do not comply with the threats;
- contact police, who can provide advice on the next steps to take; and
- take screenshots and keep copies of the messages and information such as the username, social media account, etc.
For more information on frauds, you can visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca.
For more information about online safety, especially for children and teens, visit http://protectchildren.ca or http://dontgetsextorted.ca.
