Teenage Cyber Blackmail: Don’t Pay, Don’t Panic, and Tell Someone
A BBC investigation tracks the rise of sextortion, a growing online crime where victims, often teenagers, are blackmailed into sending intimate photos or videos. The investigation followed the digital footprint of a scammer who targeted US teenager Evan Boettler, leading to Lagos, Nigeria, where organized “Hustle Kingdoms” of scammers operate. These operations involve young men using social media to extort money from victims, sometimes incorporating traditional rituals and even deepfake technology to increase their success. Despite efforts from social media platforms like Meta, which claim to combat sextortion, critics argue these measures are insufficient, while reports of such crimes continue to rise.
John Q. Hosedrinker