North Bay Police received two reports this weekend regarding sextortion.
In both of the incidents reported to the North Bay Police the victims were contacted through Facebook.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) has multiple reports of this type of scam. The CAFC describes sextortion as occurring when a victim is lured into an online relationship through social media or pornographic websites.
As the relationship builds, a victim is encouraged to use the computer's camera, and the predator will coerce the victim to perform a sexual act on camera. The victim is later advised that the event was recorded and to pay up or the video will be released on the internet.
Police are asking that web users be careful of who they are engaging with online and to always be mindful that their actions may be recorded. Do not accept friend requests from people you do not know on social media.
Should anyone reach out to you and attempt to extort money in the way outlined above, police suggest that you do the following:
- Do not comply with any threat
- Stop all communication with the individual
- Keep all correspondence you have had with the individual including any names, email addresses or any phone number
- Report the incident to police
