Warning issued against cyber-blackmail scam

We are warning people of the a cyber-blackmail scam currently targeting random people, which threatens to post intimate photos or video footage online if money isn’t paid. Recently, so called ‘sextortion’ incidents have been reported in the county. Sextortion (a combination of sex and extortion) is blackmailing a victim not to post sexually explicit photos or videos on social networking, photo-sharing or revenge porn websites. People have reported receiving emails from fraudsters threatening to post or share videos on social networks and demanding payment. Detective Sergeant Ben Thomas, of CID North at Staffordshire Police, said: “This is a very distressing crime, which preys on people’s vulnerabilities and worries about any consequences. The welfare of victims is paramount and I want to reassure people that this is highly likely to be a scam and they have nothing to fear.” “Don’t be embarrassed to report it and don’t attempt to respond to any threat or pay any money. Grab a screen shot of communication, suspend associated accounts but do not delete any content or the account themselves; and please report it to us and we will then investigate. “Inquiries are going into these incidents and we are working closely with partners such as the National Crime Agency and National Police Chiefs’ Council to crack down on offenders.” You can report any crime through our website, Twitter and Facebook channels, or call 101. For further information about online safety you can also visit: www.getsafeonline.org www.thinkuknow.co.uk www.ceop.police.uk