Perth County provincial police are warning residents to be wary of “sextortion” scams after receiving another report of someone falling victim.
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A “sextortion” attempt in the Stratford area only underlines a boom in such scams in the wake of the online stampede during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say.
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With more and more Canadians interacting online, the number of “sextortion” cases – incidents where a blackmailer threatens to release intimate images of the victim unless demands are met – have surged in recent years, especially among young adults and adolescents.
In the Perth County attempt, police said the adult victim was communicating with an unknown person on social media. After that suspect sent the victim an intimate image and asked for one in return, the victim sent a compromising photo. The suspect then demanded a $500 ransom, threatening to publicly distribute the photo if the money wasn’t sent.
The victim immediately contacted the Perth County provincial police.
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