Gwent Police is warning residents about the dangers of becoming victims of online blackmail by criminals threatening to publish explicit images or footage online.
Nationally, police have received numerous reports from both men and women, who are told by blackmailers to pay large sums of money into offshore bank accounts or face seeing compromising footage of them uploaded to the internet, and sent to their family and friends.
One case has been reported in Gwent, where a man from Ebbw Vale was targeted. In that case no money was paid and no images were circulated. Officers suspect there may be more victims who may be too frightened or embarrassed to report the crime.
Whilst the scam can take several forms, the criminals usually target victims by adding them as a friend on social media sites such as Facebook, or through conversations on Skype or Face Time.
They then build up a relationship with a victim before luring them into online video sex chats.
Screen grabs of the compromising images and footage are then sent to the victims along with demands for cash. The recent spike in the UK has prompted police to issue warnings for people to be vigilant.
Gwent Police Detective Sergeant Allan Davies said: “In most of the cases images have not actually been distributed, but it has nevertheless been a traumatic ordeal for the victims. They are understandably very worried about the consequences of compromising images and videos being posted online.
“The moment someone takes part in a video conversation of this kind they become vulnerable to exploitation and blackmail. The only real way to prevent this from happening is by not taking part in this kind of activity.”
The police have warned internet users not to befriend anyone they don’t know, update the privacy settings on social networking accounts so only people you know can view them, and if you become a victim of this type of scam, do not respond to the blackmailer’s demands, but report the issue to the police.”
“The only real way to prevent this from happening is by not taking part in this kind of activity.” Say the police, and that is absolutely right. A friend who worked on government computers gave me a salient piece of advice,
“Remember, anything you put on the internet can be viewed by anybody with the correct know how. It also remains there forever.”
Today’s, supposedly computer savvy, youngsters do not seem to know that their compromising photographs and unwise conversations are available to anyone, not just their chosen friends.
“The only real way to prevent this from happening is by not taking part in this kind of activity.” Say the police, and that is absolutely right. A friend who worked on government computers gave me a salient piece of advice,
“Remember, anything you put on the internet can be viewed by anybody with the correct know how. It also remains there forever.”
Today’s, supposedly computer savvy, youngsters do not seem to know that their compromising photographs and unwise conversations are available to anyone, not just their chosen friends.