Sextortion
An Online Threat to Kids and Teens The FBI has seen a huge increase in the number of cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced by adults into sending explicit images online—a crime called sextortion. Sextortion can start on any site, app, or game where people meet and communicate. In some cases, the first contact with the criminal will be a threat. The person may claim to already have a revealing picture or video of a child that will be shared if the victim does not send more pictures. More often, however, this crime starts when young people believe they are communicating with someone their own age who is interested in a relationship or with someone who is offering something of value. The adult will use threats, gifts, money, flattery, lies, or other methods to get a young person to produce an image. After the criminals have one or more videos or pictures, they threaten to share and publish that content, or they threaten violence, to get the victim to produce more images. The shame, fear, and confusion children feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse. Caregivers and young people should understand how the crime occurs and openly discuss online safety. If young people are being exploited, they are the victim of a crime and should report it. Contact your local Police or FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or report it online at tips.fbi.gov.
FBI Launches Sextortion Awareness Campaign in Schools
“The goal of our Stop Sextortion campaign is to alert young people to one of the risks that they can encounter online,” said Supervisory Special Agent Brian Herrick, assistant chief of the FBI’s Violent Crime Section. “Both youth and caregivers need to understand that a sexual predator can victimize children or teens in their own homes through the devices they use for gaming, homework, and communicating with friends.”
Sextortion begins when a predator reaches out to a young person over a game, app, or social media account. When the young person starts to resist requests to make more images, the criminal will use threats of harm or exposure to the early images to pressure the child to continue producing content.
https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/newss-victim-of-sextortion-speaks-out/view