Sextortion scams targeting boys on social media on the rise, FBI in Kansas City warns
The FBI office in Kansas City is warning the public about a rise in adults posing as girls in order to coerce boys to produce sexual content and then extort them for money.
The scheme, called sextortion, occurs when an adult pretends to be a girl and contacts a boy who is typically between age 14 to 17, and asks them to engage in sexually explicit activity over video, according to FBI special agent in charge Charles Dayoub.
The adult secretly records and then tells the boy of the recording, threatening to post it online unless they are paid money. Sextortion is a crime and coercion of a child is punishable up to a life sentence.
In 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 18,000 sextortion-related complaints with losses at more than $13.6 million, Dayoub said.
Children are often embarrassed to come forward and report they were a victim of the scheme.
“Parents should be aware of these sextortion schemes to better prepare themselves for conversations with their children,” Dayoub said in a statement. “Many times, victims are hesitant to come forward, and as caregivers, teachers, or trusted adults, it is imperative that we bridge that gap.”
The FBI suggested internet users keep social media accounts private and block or ignore messages from strangers.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office.
This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 10:16 AM.
