Will Your Valentine's Day Pic.. Play Into The Hands of a CyberCreep?

It still astounds me how many people choose to ignore the mantra

-        ‘Post a pic… lose control of it'  -

As a result the world has since come to learn the terms of 'Sexting' and 'Sextortion';

Sexting:Sexting Definition

Sextortion: Sextortion Definition

However it seems only when issues arise from the sending of Sexts, do users contact police or a trusted person to gain assistance about what to do.

Granted there are a huge number of different scenarios associated with why people send online sexy pics or nude selfies to their intended recipients.  Not to mention the diverse age group of criminal incidents involving victims with an age range from children as young as 9 years to adults over 60.

Unfortunately these online actions have been linked to disastrous situations, where targets have been blackmailed, coerced and scammed into sending pics for the gratification of a cybercreep, or a scam involving payment of ransom monies to avoid photos being sent to friends.

While females, especially teen girls, are likely to become victims of stalking and Sextortion -  FBI Press Release

Men are now being sought after as targets from organised crime gangs, who use agents to swindle men into intimate acts. - News Report

Sextortion is a despicable offence, leaving the target feeling incredibly distressed, completely deceived and in utter despair.  Targets often feel extreme embarrassment and shame, with several paying the scam ransom money to avoid further anguish.

Others are so devastated they are likely to self-harm, as they cannot afford the payment or feel there is no other way to deal with the intense sorrow and shame.  Some will speak to police or a trusted person and gain the assistance needed to cope with the trauma and move forward with their life.

Regardless of gender, Sextortion is about money and power.
Cybercriminals target dating, pornography and social media sites, along with some online forums, to trick users into a trusting personal relationship, where eventually the sending of sexts or sexually explicit video is exchanged.  Later demanding money from the target in order to avoid the cache of photos being sent to family and friends.

Cybercriminals can also download malware into your computer enabling the webcam to be turned on – known as RATting. - News Report

Of course other forms of deceit are not solely related to cybercriminals. 

The act of Revenge Porn  is beginning to rise and this real situation of broken trust by 

ex-partners, may now constitute a criminal offence in your municipality. 

Some tips to help avoid becoming a target:

·       Be careful when posting pics online. Don’t post photos you don’t want the world to see, or can be acquired and used by online criminals. Be prudent - keep personal info offline (and intimate actions out of view of webcams).

·       Verify who you’re connecting with – Verify via Search sites of Google / Google Images / Spokeo / Pipl

·       Don’t Friend people you don’t know.  Mutual friends are ‘Still Strangers’ until they can be verified. 

·       Watch for excuses from these people, especially if avoiding to connect up in real life, avoiding the option to move the camera around the room, or avoiding to change to another video location.... they may not be all they seem.

·       Use the privacy settings on all your social media accounts. This makes it difficult for scammers to gain information about you and your online friends.

·       Ensure webcams are turned off when not in use and/or covered with something like a sticky note.

·       Check the person’s social media accounts, have they just joined up? Do they have a strong social media presence?  Is the person you are speaking with, portraying the same persona online? Are their online friends from one main targeted demographic? - i.e. all males / all young females

·       Hook Up Apps can be dangerous!  Take someone with you if meeting a person in real life or meet at a very public place. You Have No Clue Who This Person IS! Don’t Be Reckless.. Verify, Verify, Verify..

·       Please contact police, or tell a trusted friend, the moment you become aware of your involvement in a Sextortion or Revenge Porn incident.  If you feel overwhelmed and in total despair, seek the immediate advice of a medical practitioner (visit a doctor).

Other Tips:

·       Do Not Buy Gifts or Goods from websites these people suggest, unless you can verify the website’s authenticity.

·       Do Not Part with your credit card information, or give out any personal details.

·       Check the background of your own video session to ensure it is not showing elements of your home, or giving away information about your location.

Trust your gut instinct..  if at any time it don’t feel right… then it Ain’t Right!

Stay Safe Online and all the best to you for a safe and happy Valentine’s Day 

~ Janita