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The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning about potential “sextortion” schemes. In a release yesterday, officials said several members of the public have reported possible incidents locally.
Sextortion typically starts with a simple online conversation. Eventually, the perpetrator asks the potential victim to share lewd photographs. The perpetrator then threatens to publish the photos, or send them to friends and family, unless the victim pays them.
Alternately, a perpetrator may claim they already have such photographs – even if they don’t. They may demand cash, or that the victim provide additional lewd photos, which then gives them actual ammunition to continue the scheme.
The FBI says sextortion can begin on any site, app, or game where people meet and communicate. Most commonly, it involves a young victim, and a perpetrator masquerading as someone their own age who is interested in starting a relationship.
The results can be devastating. Marquette County officials are investigating a case in which sextortion threats may have pushed a Marquette High School student to commit suicide last week.
Law enforcement officials urge that you be cautious about what you share online, particularly intimate photos or personal information. Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about the danger, and remind them that people they meet online are sometimes not whom they seem to be.
If you or someone in your family is approached in this manner, contact law enforcement immediately.
