Police on Vancouver Island warn of rise in sextortion scams young boys and men

Police are warning the public after a rise in sextortion cases on the Island.

Police in Campbell River say there is a damaging trend on the rise that uses social media to extort nude photos.

The 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 Sgt. Chris Voller.

With no reported sextortion cases in 2021, the Campbell River RCMP 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.