Warning: sextortion is on the rise

One thing is clear: the digital revolution has revolutionized the way we communicate and connect. However, it has also brought us a number of new threats and dangers. One of the most disturbing is the increase in cases of “sextortion,” a form of blackmail that targets the most intimate and personal aspects of human life. Police Chief Inspector Marko Otte, Commissioner for Crime Prevention at the Göttingen Police Department, takes a look at this threatening development.

Sextortion: what's behind it?

The world of social media and online dating platforms offers endless opportunities to meet new people and form relationships. But not everyone operating in these digital arenas has honest intentions. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, some fraudsters disguise themselves as potential partners in order to gain the trust of their victims and lure them into a trap. The goal? Getting victims to share intimate images or videos and then blackmailing them into publishing them: so-called sextortion.

“It is a frightening phenomenon that is spreading more and more,” says Otte. “The perpetrators, often organized into gangs and operating from abroad, use the anonymity of the internet to carry out their heinous acts. They threaten to release the secretly recorded recordings if their financial demands, usually in the form of cryptocurrencies, are not met.”

How the perpetrators act

Perpetrators begin their heinous acts by contacting their potential victims via social media or dating platforms. They manipulate the conversation and trick their victims into sending them private pictures or videos or performing sexual acts on camera. They then threaten to publish the compromising material online if they don't get paid.

“In some cases, victims even receive a blackmail letter via email asking them to pay a certain amount. Otherwise, the perpetrators threaten, the compromising material will be published,” explains Otte. “We strongly advise the victims not to respond to the demands for money and to file a complaint.”

Preventive measures against sextortion

To protect yourself from “sextortion”, the police recommend following the following rules:

• Be careful when accepting friend requests from user profiles you do not know.
• Avoid performing intimate acts in video chats.
• Do not share personal information online or send intimate images or videos.
• Do not get involved in blackmail or pay any money. The perpetrators usually don't stop after the first payment.

What to do if you are a victim of sextortion?

If you have been the victim of such a crime, you should take the following steps:

• Report it immediately to a police station or online .
• Change your account passwords.
• Report the published images or videos to the site or portal operator and ask that they be deleted.

General safety tips

To ensure your digital security, please note the following tips:

• Use a different, strong password for each account.
• Enable two-factor authentication if possible.
• Install modern antivirus software and spam filters and always keep them up to date.
• Check your account and privacy settings regularly.

Otte concludes: “We all have to be aware of the dangers that lurk in the digital world and we have to learn to protect ourselves from them. Prevention is key. Be vigilant and protect yourself and your loved ones from this invisible threat.”

Conclusion: Sextortion is a serious challenge in our increasingly connected world. By informing ourselves about the dangers and taking preventive measures, we can better protect ourselves and move more safely in the digital world.

Also read: How to respond correctly to 'Hello mom, hello dad' messages

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