No one ever thinks it will happen to them. But it can – and does. Sextortion is a form of blackmail in which someone threatens to share sexually explicit images or videos of you with your friends, family, or the internet at large unless you do what they say. Teen sextortion crimes are on the rise. Learn more from our new article how to deal with sextortion. This type of extortion is becoming more and more common, as teen sextortion increasingly share intimate photos and videos online. Educating yourself and your loved ones about the dangers of sexting is the best defense against this growing threat.
In this article, we will discuss why teens are being targeted and what precautions you can take to lessen the possibility of becoming a victim. You might be wondering, how does a sextortionist choose their victim?
Well for starters, they don’t look for anything specific when it comes to a potential victim, these criminals come onto the web with a strategy that consists of adding hundreds of accounts in hopes they will get a reply from someone.
That being said, there are teens around practically every corner of the internet causing them to easily fall prey to this scheme since most sextortionists create fake profiles (on facebook, instagram, etc.) looking like real young adults.
Teen sextortion – what to do?
Your next question might be, why teen sextortion? They obviously do not make enough money to support themselves on their own, so how do these criminals expect them to pay an outrageous amount of money?
The harsh truth is that these criminals know how important a teens reputation means to them, and they will do anything they can to help keep that reputation intact. If that means that they need to lie to their parents to get money, ask a friend, or sell whatever they can to make a buck, these criminals do not care how their victims get the money as long as they send it.
Suspects also take it into account that teens are more likely and willing to share explicit content, then other age groups. It could be because they’re still developing as an individual and exploring their sexuality or it could just come down to how open-minded this generation is, but either way we can’t blame them for being curious beings.
So how can you keep yourself safer online in hopes of avoiding this cyber-crime? Following these tips can help:
- NEVER send explicit content to anyone online:
- it doesn’t matter who asks you, it is never a good idea to expose yourself online
- Keep strong privacy skills on all social media accounts:
- this can limit the amount of information the suspect can use against you
- Limit the amount of information you show on your profile:
- Suspect like to get to know personal information about their suspect before they turn against them. This gives them the ability to use that private information to their benefit
- Stay away from sketchy profiles:
- Make sure you aren’t accepting any friend requests from just anyone. Scope out their profile and try to look out for anything suspicious such as
- Quality of photos
- Quantity of photos
- The number of posts they have on their account
- When their account was created
- Make sure you aren’t accepting any friend requests from just anyone. Scope out their profile and try to look out for anything suspicious such as
Sextortion is a difficult issue to deal with, and it can be tough to know where to turn for help. If you believe that you are being extorted or threatened online, seek out professional assistance immediately.
The sooner you get help, the more likely it is that the perpetrators can be caught and stopped. Remember, never try to handle this situation on your own – getting expert help is always the best course of action.
We are available 24/7 to take on your case, give us a call or chat with us online, so we can help put an end to your burden. Now you know what to do if you faced with teen sextortion on the internet. Its time to make a conscious decision.
For more information, or to seek assistance with a situation of online blackmail, reach out to our sextortion helpline – we’re available 24/7 for your support. Now You Know What to Do If You’re Being Blackmailed Online.
We can help you with different types of blackmail or sextortion. Here you can report:
Facebook Blackmail (Facebook Sextortion)
Instagram Blackmail (Sextortion On Instagram)
Snapchat Blackmail (Snapchat Sextortion)
Its time to act now. Don’t hesitate. If you’re a victim this situation needs expert help
DON’T LET THE BLACKMAILERS WIN
We offer immediate, 24/7 assistance from our team of investigators.
