Northern Beaches sextortion cases – at least the ones actually reported to Police – are increasing, with young people particularly vulnerable to this type of scam.
There have been been several reports, at least five publicly reported, in the last five weeks.
From below the age of 15 to nearly 60 years old, residents reported blackmailers threatening to release explicit footage they were tricked into providing should they not receive a ransom in various financial forms. One case was simply a bluff with the scammer claiming to have gained access to the victim’s webcam, but this was not true. A number of Manly Observer readers reported receiving the latter email, which they rightly dismissed.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has reported a drop in the crime since the previous year, which could be relating to better awareness of the “tricks of the trade”. The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) received on average 93 reports of sextortion a month, a drastic improvement from the average of 300 last calendar year.
However, there are still large concerns that too many victims are being blackmailed, particularly children.
What is sextortion?
Sexual extortion is a crime which became most prominent in 2022, according to the AFP. It is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to release the sexual content of their victim if they do not give in to their demands.
These demands can range from direct deposits and bitcoin transactions to insisting on more explicit pictures or sexual favours.
Although there is concern among a range of demographics, teens are some of the most vulnerable to this scam.
Last month, a 16-year-old Northern Beaches boy was extorted $3000 from a Snapchat demand which was believed to originate overseas.
The following week, 9 October, detectives were investigating another similar matter involving a 15-year-old girl while a matter involving an even younger person was reported to police that same day.
To counter this issue NSW Department of Education has teamed up with marketing agency, The Marketing Syndicate and cyber security company, Palo Alto Networks. The trio launched a targeted cyber safety awareness campaign aimed at high school students, focusing on providing advice on how teens can protect themselves from online gaming abuse, deepfakes and sextortion.
“This initiative is designed to engage teenagers with relevant and emotionally resonant content, covering crucial topics such as gaming safety and navigating inappropriate content online,” a representative from The Market Syndicate said in a statement.
“By working closely with teens throughout the creative process, we’ve crafted educational resources that speak directly to their concerns and digital experiences.”
However, this issue branches across ages, putting anyone unfamiliar with the dangers and process of sextortion at risk.
On October 11, a 57-year-old woman reported to Northern Beaches Police about demands from scammers to send Bitcoin or else they would release certain footage.
A Newport man also received an email from an anonymous source claiming they had hacked into his webcam and obtained footage of the victim masturbating while watching pornographic movies, as well as accessed his internet history – none of this was true.
The blackmailers requested US$2000 to be sent to a Bitcoin account or they would release the data. The man did not pay and went to the police and eSafety Commissioner.
The eSafety Commission’s advice to any victim of sextortion is to stop all contact and do not pay. They further advise how to prevent the crime from happening at all.
Know The Warning Signs
The eSafety Commission flags dating sites, social media and gaming apps as some of the most prominent places for sextortion scams to play out.
Many blackmailers will pose a familiar or attractive identity to receive explicit content from their victims before using it against them; this is often referred to as ‘catfishing’.
eSafety has outlined red flags to look out for when spotting a sextortion scam.
Something does not add up. Their online profile doesn’t match what you see and hear when you talk or chat with them.
It happens too fast. They express strong emotions for you almost straight away, and quickly tempt you across to a more private channel, suggesting you get nude or sexual in a video call.
They make excuses. They say their webcam is not working and instead, they send a nude photo which they claim is of them.
They pile on the pressure. They keep asking you to be sexual and to send nudes with your face in the shot.
They use ‘bombing’ as a tactic to make it look like they are a mutual friend. They try to friend or follow as many people from your school, sports team, university or community to make you believe they are a ‘real’ person you haven’t met before.
But blackmailers won’t need explicit content from their victims or even need to talk to them prior in an attempt to extort them. Some will send an email from an unknown source claiming to have hacked the victim’s computer or accounts threatening to have found intimate images; Sometimes even sharing an old or current password to make the claims seem more legitimate.
What do you do if you’re being blackmailed?
If you’re reading this and it’s already too late, then know the eSafety Commission has advice on what the next steps should be.
The first step is to collect as much evidence as you can. Here is a list of things one should collect before reporting the scam.
All contact from the blackmailer, particularly their demands and threats.
How they contacted you – for example, the Facebook URL (web address) where the blackmailer sent you a threat or their usernames on Snapchat, Instagram and any other online platforms
- When they contacted you, including dates and times
- Details about the blackmailer – for example, their bank account or phone number
- Any reports you have made about the issue to any online platforms or the police.
The next step is to report the sextortion. Under-18s should report the crime to the ACCCE while over-18s report it to any platforms or services where the blackmailer contacted them. Otherwise, victims can also report to eSafety.
A final step is to ensure your account and security are secure and contact with the blackmailer has ceased.
Once evidence is collected the victim should use the website or app functions to block the blackmailer. After this, it is important to change passwords and review the privacy and security settings of your accounts to limit who can contact you.
eSafety and Northern Beaches Police have made it clear that no matter the circumstance, victims of sextortion should never pay the ransom. They say blackmailers usually give up when they realise they aren’t getting paid. However, if intimate content is released then eSafety will help get it removed.
If a victim has already paid recently, they may be able to cancel it quickly by contacting their bank or money transfer platforms such as Paypal or Cash App.
Still worried about circulating pics?
Outside of the eSafety Commission and police, certain organisations assist in removing a person’s nude content online, which has been released without consent.
Under 18’s can use takeitdown.ncmec.org – a free online tool that prevents your image or video from being shared on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Yubo, OnlyFans and Pornhub.
StopNCII.org is the same concept but for people over the age of 18. These programs block specific images or videos from being uploaded to the mentioned platforms. You need to have a copy of the image or video, but you don’t need to send it to the platform – they will create a digital ‘fingerprint’ instead.
In any case, it is important to know that if you are a victim, it’s not your fault. Sextortion is a common crime that can happen to anyone. In this day and age of online scammers and deep fakes, it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant and keep up to date with cyber safety education – no matter the age.
