In the last week alone, two local men have been targeted by blackmailers seeking hundreds of dollars in sextortion scams, says Red Deer RCMP.
In one case, a man met someone online through a dating app. As they corresponded, the victim sent a nude video to their supposed friend.
"The person who received it demanded money or they would send it to family and friends of the victim," said Red Deer RCMP public information officer Const. Cory Riggs.
In this case, $300 was demanded.
Riggs said the first request is usually not the last. Once a victim has been identified as a mark, more cash demands follow.
A second man was also targeted in a similar way. The victim sent nude images to someone he met on an app
The scammer demanded $500 in gift cards be sent. Gift cards are often requested by scammers because they are near-untraceable.
Riggs said the scam is quite common. While Red Deer RCMP's fraud team investigates the crimes, identifying, locating and charging the con artists is difficult. In many cases, they are located in Africa or countries such as India.
"They have call centres where it's people's jobs to do this," he said.
"They are essentially just preying upon people's shame. People don't want to admit it. I've seen a lot of these files.
"It's preying upon people's emotions. It's pretty disgusting."
Riggs said while many are reluctant to admit that they were duped in a sextortion scam, they should go to police.
"We want everyone to know that help is available and victims should never feel afraid to come forward. Our priority is your safety."
Riggs said while anyone can fall victim to sextortion, young people, who tend to be more active socially online, are particularly vulnerable.
Sextortion often starts innocently. A potential victim is befriended online through social media, dating apps or gaming platforms. Over time, the victim is manipulated into sharing intimate content, which is then used for blackmail.
To protect yourself, Riggs advises people verify who they are communicating with before connecting and be wary of strangers who quickly want to move conversations to private platforms.
Avoid sharing sensitive details or explicit images online and keep social media accounts private.
If someone starts demanding money, block them and report them to police immediately.
The underreported global crime of sextortion has becoming a growing racket.
RCMP in P.E.I. issued its own warning last month after teen boys and young men were targeted.
P.E.I. RCMP said there were 63 cases of attempted sextortion last year and 34 this year, including three more last weekend.
The boys were targeted on social media platforms where strangers pose as age-appropriate girls asking for sexual photo swaps.
In September, five U.S. men and a man from Cote d'Ivoire in Africa were arrested and charged in a sextortion scam that targeted thousands, including some Canadians.
The men are alleged to have successfully extorted nearly $1.9 million from their victims, through CashApp and Apple Pay, and attempted to extort nearly $6.9 million. Funds were then transferred to conspirators in Côte d’Ivoire and elsewhere overseas, said U.S. authorities.
In August, a Burnaby, B.C. man was arrested and faces 23 charges after allegedly targeting several men in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.
Burnaby RCMP said an investigation was launched in 2022 after several people told police they were being extorted for money after sharing explicit photos with an individual on social media.
Riggs said that for those who have become victims, the most important advice is not to give in to demands. Paying or sending more images will not make the offender stop their harassment.
Save evidence by taking screenshots of messages, profiles and any other relevant information and go to police.
Victims should also seek out people they trust. Support from family, friends or counsellors is critical, said Riggs.
Red Deer RCMP urges anyone who may be a victim of sextortion or online exploitation to report it to your local police. Your actions can help stop offenders and prevent others from becoming victims.
For incidents within the city of Red Deer please contact Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.
