U.S. law enforcement issued a public safety alert on Monday, warning of an “explosion” of cases where children and teens are extorted into sending sexually explicit photos and videos online.
The alert comes from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, which shared that predators are convincing young people to produce explicit content by deceiving them.
After predators trick young people into producing and sending them the photos and videos, they demand payment through online money-sending apps or gift cards, saying that if they aren’t paid, they will release the content. Officials shared that targeting tends to happen online via social media, gaming, or chatting platforms.
To make the situation worse, the alert said that oftentimes predators will release the content regardless of if they are paid or not.
In many cases, this leaves victims in a cycle of shame and fear that leads to them not asking for help or reporting what is happening, the report said.
The issue has been widespread, with 7,000 reports of online financial “sextortion” attempts occurring in the last year and at least 3,000 victims, the alert shared.
The FBI has additionally reported a 1,000% increase in incidents of financial sextortion when comparing the first six months of 2021 to the first six months of 2022.
Among the most targeted demographic is boys ages 14 to 17, according to officials.
So far this year, law enforcement officers have been able to link dozens of suicides that were a result of sextortion.
Last month, an Ohio 17-year-old high school senior, James Woods, took his life, and his family shared that it was because he was a victim of sextortion.
Patricia Wain, the Chief of Police in Streetsboro, shared that his parents, Tamia and Timothy Woods, spoke out about what happened to their son because they want to “prevent further tragedy.”
“Please talk to your children and make sure you know what is going on with them,” Tamia and Timothy Woods said.
With the holidays around the corner, millions of kids will be off school and at home, potentially spending more time online than typical. While authorities are working to identify predators, the FBI says it is crucial parents and guardians talk to children and teens about the dangers online and the danger of not speaking up.
“It is important to remind children that they are not in trouble and that they are not alone,” an FBI official said, speaking with reporters Monday. “The shame and embarrassment of becoming a victim often prevent children from reporting. So it’s up to all of us to reassure children that there’s life after pictures.”
Steve Francis, the acting executive associate director of HSI, shared that the crime is nothing short of ‘deplorable’ and that his agents are working to stop sextortion from happening.
“The sexual exploitation of children is a deplorable crime. HSI special agents will continue to exhaust every resource to identify, locate, and apprehend predators to ensure they face justice,” Francis said. “Criminals who lurk on platforms on the internet are not as anonymous as they think. HSI will continue to leverage cutting-edge technology to end these heinous acts.”
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