Sextortion definition
According to the FBI, sextortion is “a serious crime that occurs when someone threatens to distribute your private and sensitive material if you don’t provide them images of a sexual nature, sexual favours, or money.”
Another common threat is that the perpetrator threatens to harm your friends or family with information obtained from your phones or computers unless you comply with their sexual demands.
Sextortion has a devastating effect on victims of all ages, young and older. Many people don’t realize how easy it is to become a victim.
The use of extortion emails is growing significantly. In 2019 alone, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 51,146 reported crimes, which is an increase of 242%. These crimes had a total loss of $83 million. The majority of these email complaints were about sextortion emails, where compromising information would be shared if the victim didn’t pay the ransom.
How victims are sextorted
We deal with sextortion cases more than we would like. In most cases, we see that online perpetrators gain the victim’s trust by pretending to be someone else. Often they are in chat rooms, recording young people who post or live-stream sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. They may videotape these live streams or make screenshots for extortion purposes. More tech-savvy perpetrators might hack into the victim’s electronic devices, use malware, and access their files, webcam, and microphone without the victim realizing it.
Another common situation is where a malicious ex is extorting their former partner, with private sexual images or videos. They threaten to publish the material online or send it to the sextorted victim’s friends and loved ones.
How sextortion emails work
Sextortion emails often come from supposed hackers who claim to have hacked your electronic device, installed malware, and recorded you via your webcam while you were on a chat room website, porn website, or any other site.
Some extortion scams use some context to establish creditability, prior to asking for the extortion payoff. Using a password that most likely comes from a password database, the sender lets the victim know that they have personal information about the victim.
According to Priya Sopori, a former assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted cybercrimes and sextortion, these scammers “play on our basest levels of psychology.”
“You will read personalization into any generic statement. And if you believe that there are hackers out there that know every aspect of your life, and maybe they even know your life better than you do, you might actually pay even if you’ve done nothing at all.”
The sextortion email usually starts with something like, “I’m aware that < recipient’s former password> is your password. With a recent sextortion email scam, recipients have come forward saying the password mentioned by the scammer is an actual password of the victim, but an old one.
Source: GoldFish.com
Sextortion: What To Do
First of all, we want to urge people to have a healthy level of scepticism. It is highly unlikely that the scammer who sends the sextortion email knows you or has your information.
Do not engage or pay:
Whether the scammer knows you or not, don’t panic and don’t pay the ransom. Stop engaging with the sextortionist. It may be counterintuitive to ignore an online perpetrator, but engaging will only make matters worse. It gives the sextortionist more confidence and power. When you pay a ransom, you let the sextortionist know that you will honour the demands, providing more power to the perpetrator. Often, this only results in more financial demands. If you are asked for more sexual images, it will likely escalate into actual sexual favours. By stopping all contact, you remove the power the perpetrator has.
Capture evidence and report:
To build a strong case against the perpetrators, victims should capture screenshots of the threats and user profiles involved. Additionally, it is crucial to record the user profile URL for reference. After documenting the evidence, report the incident to the respective platform before blocking the account. Most social media platforms have mechanisms in place to handle such reports.
Secure all social media channels and online profiles:
A survey by the University of New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Center showed that 54% of sextortion victims are contacted through social media. Another 41% of sextortion instances happen via messaging apps. If you are engaged with a sextortionist through social media, we recommend blocking them to prevent them from gaining further access to a list of your friends and family.
Cases involving minors:
In cases where the victim is under 18 years old, the incident automatically constitutes child sexual abuse. Victims or concerned individuals should report such crimes to investigators at the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation or contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Prompt reporting is crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of underage victims.
However, if you want our investigators to identify the sextortionist, don’t block them but keep communication channels open.
Tracing Perpetrators of Sexual Blackmail
In the face of rising incidents of sexual blackmail, it is crucial to equip law enforcement agencies with effective tools to trace and apprehend the anonymous individuals responsible for these heinous acts. The anonymity provided by the internet can pose significant challenges. However, investigative techniques and technological advancements are enabling authorities to uncover the identities of these perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Digital Footprints and Metadata Analysis:
Every online interaction leaves behind a digital footprint, comprising traces of information that can be analysed to identify individuals involved in sexual blackmail. Investigators utilize sophisticated techniques to extract and examine metadata associated with electronic communications, such as IP addresses, timestamps, and user agent data. This data provides valuable clues that can help trace the origin and activities of the anonymous culprits.
Cyber Forensics and Data Recovery:
In cases involving sexual blackmail, digital forensics plays a vital role in collecting evidence from electronic devices. Forensic experts use software and techniques to find hidden data and identify criminals. From email exchanges and chat logs to image metadata, these digital artifacts can provide critical evidence in building a strong case against the blackmailers.
Network Analysis and IP Tracking:
Tracing anonymous users involved in sexual blackmail often requires meticulous network analysis. Investigators collaborate with internet service providers (ISPs) and utilize advanced IP tracking methods to trace the origin of online communications. By identifying the IP addresses associated with specific accounts or activities, law enforcement agencies can narrow down their search and track down the individuals behind the malicious acts.
Cooperation with Tech Companies:
Collaboration between law enforcement agencies and technology companies is essential in unmasking the anonymous users involved in sexual blackmail. Tech companies can provide valuable assistance by sharing user information, metadata, and other relevant data under legal frameworks and data protection regulations. This cooperation facilitates the investigation process and strengthens the chances of identifying and apprehending the offenders. We prepare subpoenas for our clients and lawyers daily and know exactly what to ask for to get the information needed to identify the perpetrator.
International Cooperation and Mutual Legal Assistance:
Given the borderless nature of the internet, international cooperation is paramount in tracing anonymous users involved in sexual blackmail. Law enforcement agencies work closely with their counterparts in different jurisdictions, exchanging information and leveraging mutual legal assistance treaties to overcome legal barriers and effectively investigate cross-border cases. This collaboration enables investigators to track down perpetrators who may attempt to hide their activities in different countries.
Read our case study to see how we identified the sextortionist of a teenage victim on Snapchat and Instagram.
The Importance of Education on Sextortion and Internet Safety
Tragically, the surge in sextortion cases is taking a devastating toll on young individuals, with reports of teenagers resorting to suicide due to the emotional and sexual blackmail they endure. The distressing rise in incidents underscores the urgent need for immediate action and comprehensive support systems to protect our youth.
Raising awareness about sextortion is crucial in empowering young people to recognize and address potential threats. Education on internet safety is essential to help them navigate the online world responsibly and understand the risks involved. Providing support and resources to victims is important, along with educating students about reporting mechanisms and the long-term consequences of sextortion. Inviting industry experts to speak at schools allows students to gain valuable insights and practical advice. Adopting a holistic approach by integrating these topics into various subjects ensures a comprehensive understanding of online safety.
We also believe schools should educate their youth by inviting cybercrime experts. Inviting speakers from the cybercrime industry to address students directly in schools can be a transformative experience. These experts, armed with real-life experiences, case studies, and practical advice, provide invaluable insights on identifying and avoiding sextortion situations. By listening to those with expertise in the field, students gain a deeper understanding of the tactics employed by criminals and learn best practices for maintaining online safety.
Protection Measures
- Never send compromising images of yourself to anyone. No matter who they are, or who they say they are.
- Never open email attachments from someone you do not know.
- Please turn off your electronic devices, especially webcams, when you are not using them.
- Regularly change passwords, so you can be sure that any passwords mentioned in an alarming email are no longer in use.
Organizations
For organizations, it’s essential to make users within your organization aware of email scams. Educate everyone on what to look out for and how to ignore emails safely. To do so, consider security awareness training to improve your organization’s security by making your users a part of the security strategy.
If you are sextorted through sextortion emails or any other type, you can report it to your IT department or local law enforcement; if they can’t help, you can report the emails to the FBI’s IC3.
You can report sextortion scams to the eSafety Commissioner if you are in Australia.
If you need to identify your sexual perpetrator, our cybercrime investigators can help you. We dealt with many different types of sextortion cases and are happy to share our knowledge and assistance.
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