New Westminster police warns of sextortion scams
Posted March 30, 2023 5:23 pm.
Last Updated March 30, 2023 5:29 pm.
Police in New Westminster are warning of an increase in sextortion scams that are targeting boys and men.
The New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) says “victims are contacted on social media platforms by someone using a fake account and typically posing as female.”
It adds that scammers set their locations on the platforms to look like they are nearby to the victims.
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The scammers then ask the victims to send them “sexually explicit photos,” only to be used for threatening them to be released unless a certain amount of money is paid, according to the release.
“Demands for money often come from international organized criminal networks,” a news release reads.
The NWPD says that according to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, the vast majority of sextortion victims, at 91 per cent, are male.
While the majority of these types of scams happen on Instagram and Snapchat.
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Over the last few years, police say scams in New Westminster have more than doubled, rising from 12 in 2021 to 29 in 2022.
“Victims rarely have any idea what to do. They’re in a state of panic and are often dealing with tremendous fear, shame, and significant financial loss,” Sgt. Andrew Leaver explained.
“We believe this is an under-reported crime and we’re asking anyone who is a victim of sextortion to report it to police.”
Instead of sending money or doing what the scammers ask, police ask the victims to block the account and not to delete any of the messages. Police say they should also “get help” and “speak to someone they trust.”
If anyone has been a victim of a sextortion scam, police say individuals can call the NWPD at 604-525-5411.
With files from Robyn Crawford
