Incidents involving a sextortion of young children have been on the rise, according to the San Diego Federal Bureau of Investigation office.
Adults have been posing on social media as young girls, attempting to coerce young boys into producing sexual images and videos so they can then extort them for money, said the FBI. Predators use “deception and manipulation,” to convince teen boys who are typically 14 to 17 years old to engage in explicit activity which is secretly recorded, the agency explained.
“Sextortion is a crime,” said the FBI. “The coercion of a child by an adult to produce what is considered Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) carries heavy penalties, which can include up to a life sentence for the offender.”
In 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Control Center received over 18,000 sextortion-related complaints, with reported losses over $13.6 million. The FBI said the crime is a global issue.
In order to prevent sextortion it is important that children come forward to their parents, caregivers, educators or law enforcement about what they experience. However, children often feel a sense of embarrassment after such a traumatic experience.
According to a survey conducted by Thorn, an international anti-human trafficking organization, one in three sextortion victims did not talk about their abuse due to embarrassment or shame.
Parents should encourage their children to report suspicious behavior to a trusted adult, according to the FBI.
“Children must be mindful of who they are communicating with online, regardless of the game or social media platform,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “Education and awareness are key to combatting this evolving threat and we want families to take part in these important discussions regarding online safety. Reporting these incidents to law enforcement will help to prevent it from happening to someone else.”
Thorn survey data showed that 40% of sextortion victims met predators online and that 60% knew the perpetrators of the crime before threats began.
In the San Diego area, there has been a recent increase of complaints involving boys who were extorted for money and, in some cases, for additional images.
Here are the FBI’s tips for avoiding sextortion scams:
· Be selective about what you share online, including passwords and personal information.
· Keep your social media accounts private if they might feature personal information, such as images of your home or children.
· Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online and block communication from strangers.
· Be aware that even videos and photos are not proof that a person online is who they claim to be.
· Be suspicious if you meet someone on one site and they ask you to start talking on a different platform.
· Encourage your children to report suspicious behavior to a trusted adult.
People who believe they have been or know someone who has been a victim of sextortion can contact their FBI field office, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Victims should be careful not to delete any communication with a sextortion perpetrator before law enforcement is able to review it. They should also tell law enforcement everything about the encounters, as it may be necessary to find the offender.
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