PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — FBI agents in Phoenix are warning parents that they’re seeing an increase in “sextortion” scams now that school is out for the year.
The FBI says “sextortion” occurs when an adult contacts a child over various online platforms (websites, social media, apps, etc…) and uses deception and manipulation to convince a young boy or girl to engage in explicit activity over various video chats, while secretly recording it. The adult predator will then reveal they’ve recorded the video and attempts to extort the child for money to avoid having the video posted online.
As summer gets underway, they want to remind caregivers that it’s not just girls being targeted. Agents say they’re seeing an increasing amount of teen boys are being led on too. Experts say that these predators are specifically targeting minors between 14 and 17 years old.
“Disrupting these criminals is difficult, but the best ways to do just that are through awareness, education, and having important discussions with your children about their online safety,” said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “We completely understand that victims may feel embarrassed and afraid to come forward to report these incidents, but we really encourage victims to notify us so that these predators are held to account for their actions, if possible and, most importantly, prevented from harming another child.”
In April, Arizona’s Family spoke with Sgt….
