300 Aussie kids a week fall victim to online sextortion plots

Shocking stats reveal that hundreds of children are falling victim to online sextortion plots every month, with teenage boys aged between 15-17 the most at risk. Here’s how to protect your child.

More than 300 Australian children are falling victim to online sextortion plots every month as scammers find increasingly sophisticated methods to prey on vulnerable kids using social media.

Teenage boys aged 15-17 are most at risk, with scammers posing as young women to illicit compromising photos before threatening to release them publicly if a ransom is not paid.

Experts have urged parents to educate their children on the dangers of online predators in the wake of the tragic case of a Sunshine Coast boy driven to attempt suicide after falling prey to a sextortion scam.

“Internationally, law enforcement has seen a rise in sextortion and Queensland is no different,” Queensland Police Detective Inspector Glen Donaldson said. “In particular we have seen a rise in financially motivated sextortion orchestrated by overseas-based crime syndicates.”

Queensland Police Detective Inspector Glen Donaldson from Task Force Argos.

Inspector Donaldson, from Task Force Argos which investigates online child exploitation, said scammers used clever social engineering tactics “to entice or trick a victim into sending intimate images of themselves”. “Once the offender has a compromising image, the blackmail commences,” he said.

Inspector Donaldson urged parents and carers to have regular conversations with their children about how to safely navigate the internet, and of the implications of sharing images of videos online.

“These situations are incredibly distressing for victims and parents must be proactive in having conversations with their children on the risks of being online such as sextortion,” he said.

“Unfortunately many children believe it will never happen to them and feel helpless when they become a victim.

“Children must know that they can speak to a trusted adult friend or relative if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable when online to seek advice and support.”

Act for Kids' Miranda Bain.

Act for Kids director of therapy services Miranda Bain said while more people were reporting sextortion, many kids may be afraid to speak up for fear of their parent or guardian’s reaction.

“The (psychological) impact of these scams (on children) are huge because essentially someone they thought was in their circle of trust has betrayed them,” Ms Bain said.

“So when there has been that betrayal of trust, it can make people feel foolish and humiliated.

“For some people it can impact their sense of self.”

Ms Bain said children still developing could often be impulsive when confronted with sextortion. “Because their brains are still developing, sometimes they make poor decisions including self-harm as a result of the embarrassment and humiliation they are feeling,” she said.

Experts urged young victims of sextortion scams to tell a trusted adult, immediately cease contact with the account, never to pay the ransom, and to report the incident to authorities.

SIGNS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE A SCAMMER

■ Social media users need to be wary of any person sending them a friend request that they do not know. It is incredibly easy to create fake accounts on social media using doctored images and fake names. Once you send an intimate image over the internet, you lose control of that image forever.

■ Warning signs include unsolicited friend requests from a random person who you do not know.

■ Another warning sign is the new ‘friend’ being unable to use a webcam and only able to talk via text message.

■ Watch for sudden sexualised conversations from this ‘friend’ or receiving intimate images and asking for similar images in return.

■ Watch for signs English may not be their first language.

HOW TO AVOID A SEXTORTION SCAM

■ Avoid sending intimate photos online. Remember that it’s always OK to say no to sending nudes or getting sexual online.

■ Stop all contact and do not pay if someone is trying to blackmail you. Talk to a trusted family member or close friend if you are worried or scared.

■ Review the privacy and security settings of your accounts to limit who can contact you.

■ If you are being threatened, save a record of:

■ All contact from the blackmailer, particularly their demands and threats.

■ How they contacted you – for example, the Facebook URL (web address) where the blackmailer sent you a threat or their usernames on Snapchat, Instagram and any other online platforms.

■ When they contacted you, including dates and times.

■ Details about the blackmailer – for example, their bank account or phone number.

■ Any reports you have made about the issue to any online platforms or to police.

■ After you have collected evidence, use in-app functions or your device settings to block the blackmailer and ask your friends to do the same.

■ If you’re under 18, the best way to get help is to report it to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE)

■ If you’re 18 years or older, report it to any platforms or services where the blackmailer contacted you.
If your intimate image or video is shared, or if the platform doesn’t help, you can report it to eSafety.

WHAT SHOULD SOMEONE DO IF THEY FALL PREY TO SEXTORTION?

■ Do not pay the scammers as they will continue to ask for more and more money.

■ Tell a trusted friend or adult.

■ Do not send any more images to the scammers.

■ Take screen captures of the conversation.

■ Block the profile.

■ Report the matter to police.

■ If your intimate images have been posted online, report the matter to the Commonwealth eSafety Commissioner.

ACT FOR KIDS’ TIPS TO ‘GET COMFY’ TALKING WITH YOUR CHILDREN

■ Start having conversations about sex, consent, and relationships with your child from a young age.

■ Keep conversations open and age appropriate – follow your child’s lead and use words they can understand.

■ Use the correct words for body parts.

■ Answer questions in a calm, casual manner.

■ Ask your child what they already know so you can ensure they have the appropriate information.

■ Don’t make it awkward – it’s important to remember if you don’t talk to them, they may get their information online or from an unsafe or unreliable source.

■ Talk regularly, rather than having ‘the chat’.

■ Explain the importance of consent, especially in a sexual context – ‘yes’ means yes, ‘no’ means no, and ‘maybe’ means no.

■ Cover a range of topics like sexting, sexual preferences and pleasure, not just sex, puberty, pregnancy and safe sex practices.

■ Seek resources if you are unsure about certain topics.

■ Remind your child they can always ask you questions and talk to you, or offer them the contact number for a safe resource.