Campbell River RCMP warn of trending & targeted "Sextortion" incidents

Police in Campbell River are reminding people about a damaging trend on the rise that uses social media to extort nude photos.

Often called sextortion, the social media scam starts when suspects initiate and lure their targets into a fake online relationship, convincing them to send intimate photos or videos of themselves. The suspect then states they will distribute the sensitive materials to the victim’s family, friends, and co-workers unless they are paid in money or online gift card credits.

"Campbell River RCMP are urging the public to educate themselves and their family members of the dangers of sharing intimate images. We know that these conversations can be hard, however these targeted behaviours appear to be increasing and we need to have these conversations to ensure we protect ourselves and our loved ones. We live in an age where social media platforms are abundant and since Covid I think we can safely say this social media presence has increased even more." states Sergeant Chris Voller.

With no reported sextortion’s in the year 2021, the Campbell River RCMP detachment has received 16 reports of sextortion since the beginning of 2022. In those instances, criminals are mainly targeting males aged 16 to 30.

"RCMP are urging the public to refrain from sending intimate images to people via the internet, especially when the person is unknown to them," Sgt. Voller said in a statement Friday.

RCMP recommended the following tips to help stay safe while online:

• thinking before posting any information as it is "instant, public, and permanent;"
• not accepting friend requests from unknown people;
• using privacy settings and filters to limit public information broadcasted on social media; and
• trusting your instincts when conversing online — if something feels uncomfortable, end the conversation.
• If someone receives a threat of blackmail, Mounties urge those affected to stop communicating with the other person "immediately," not to comply with demands for money or additional images and keep records of all correspondence to help report the incident to police.

For further information and resources on online safety, visit Cybertip.ca.