Law enforcement is issuing warnings to parents and teens about an online sextortion scheme targeting young people in Southern California.
Detective Jon Nungester with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said people are befriending teens and young adults on Instagram, WhatsApp, Discord, and other platforms.
“And it progressively gets more and more intimate where photos are sent back and forth between the suspect and victim, and the victim eventually will send sexually explicit or nude photos of themselves to the suspect, and the suspects are taking advantage and extorting these individuals for money,” he told KNX News’ Karen Adams.
He said the extortion doesn't stop after one payoff.
“They continue to request more and more money from the individual because they know that this individual has already been able to send money, so they continue increasing the price, and these victims progressively get more and more embarrassed,” Nungester said.
He urged people not to send any pics or money and to call the police.
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