“Sextortion” email scams, which use fear and shame to target younger people, are on the rise, Daniel Irwin, BBB of the Mid South’s communications director, told “Wake Up Memphis” Wednesday.
The trending scam consists of fake and threatening emails to expose explicit pictures unless immediate payment is made through bitcoin or other apps.
“In reality, they don’t have anything on you but your mind starts to think,” Irwin said. “What we find is a lot of people actually pay the ransom knowing that there’s no video or anything but they’re just so ashamed that it might go out.”Click here to download the FREE KWAM App to stay up to date on breaking news across Memphis and the Mid-South.
This is the actual exchange between a minor who was a victim of #sextortion and their offender. NCMEC did not receive this report until 2 weeks after the child tragically committed suicide.
If you or someone you know needs help: https://t.co/V4LzTFOdFQ #ProtectKidsOnline pic.twitter.com/6XcXn54AjE
— National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (@MissingKids) February 14, 2023
He noted the most important thing people should do when encountering those emails is to just ignore it.
“Once you’ve responded, then they’ve got your name, they’ve got your old passwords. That’s when they start going to your social media accounts. That’s when the con starts.”
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH IRWIN BELOW:
