Sextortion in Canada: How to Protect Yourself in 2023

Sextortion is a form of extortion in which someone threatens to release intimate images or information unless they are paid money or given something else of value. This type of cybercrime is becoming a national danger and people are falling victim to the crime at an alarming rate. It’s important to know what to do if you find yourself being sextorted. This guide will provide an overview of the steps you need to take if you are a victim of sextortion in Canada.  

What is sextortion?

Sextortion is a form of blackmail that involves the exchange of explicit images for money or other forms of coercion. It occurs when someone threatens to expose intimate photos, videos, or other sensitive information to gain leverage over another person. Unfortunately, sextortion is becoming increasingly common, especially among young people. Sextortion usually begins with an individual sending explicit images or videos via text message, email, social media, or other platforms. The perpetrator then uses the shared material to threaten their victim unless they pay them a certain amount or do something else that the perpetrator demands. In some cases, sextortion can go beyond just blackmailing victims for money; perpetrators may also use the threat of public humiliation as leverage against their victims by threatening to share their intimate photos or videos with friends and family members if they don’t comply with their demands.

Faced with Sextortion: What to Do in Canada

Cybertip.ca is Canada’s national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. Victims can report sextortion and find online safety resources for help. The tipline received more than 600 sextortion reports in 2022 with an average of 168 reports per month and the count is only getting higher. So, what should one do if one becomes a victim? Here are some tips we recommend victims take: · Document as much of the sextortion as you can. Take screenshots of dates, times, usernames, numbers, threats, etc. This will be helpful with an investigation once you report the crime to the authorities. · Report your sextortionists on the platform where the crime is taking place. The platform will be notified of the abuse and hopefully, their account will be taken down and/or banned. · Do not for any reason give in to the demands of your blackmailer. They will try to convince you that once you pay up or give them what they want, they will delete what they have and disappear. This is almost always a lie to get you to do what they want. Don’t fall for it. · Report the abuse to the authorities as soon as you start receiving threats. The sooner you reach out for help the faster you can get this resolved.

How to Deal with Sextortion in Canada

The most reliable and effective way of dealing with sextortion in Canada is to contact the police to make a report. Victims are not equipped to handle a crime like this. These cybercriminals are very skilled at what they do so it’s crucial to let experts take over and use their expertise to end this for good. Conclusions The fact is, sextortion is only going to get more widespread. So, it’s more critical than ever for victims to speak up and report the crime. Don’t try to handle it on your own; document the abuse and contact us today. Our experts are here to help you through this difficult time. We take clients from all parts of the world so if you are a victim of sextortion in Canada, do not hesitate to reach out! Call us today! Our sextortion helpline can help you with different types of sextortion, such as: sextortion on snapchat,  sextortion instagram, whatsapp sextortion, sextortion facebook