Lethbridge Police Service, file photo. (Image: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge Police say sextortion incidents rising, particularly involving youth

Sep 14, 2022 | 3:53 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) is urging the public to be extra cautious when it comes to online activities and messaging.

The service is reporting an increase in cases of sextortion, a form of blackmail where the culprit threatens to send a sexual image or video of a victim to others if they don’t provide payment or more sexual content.

Reported incidents of sextortion to the LPS have more than doubled, to 43 files so far in 2022, up from 20 in the same period last year.

The LPS says 20% of local sextortion victims this year were under the age of 18, with the youngest being 13.

“Youth are particularly vulnerable due to increased time spent online and the popularity of live-streaming services during the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads a media release from the LPS. “Youth may also be embarrassed and hesitant to seek adult assistance, and will often comply with threats to try and manage the situation on their own.”

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In Lethbridge, 91% of victims were male. According to CyberTip.ca, which is run by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, boys are most often extorted for money, while girls are typically coerced for more images.

The local police service reports that 21% of sextortion victims complied by sending more images or videos, while 14% sent money to the perpetrator.

“Demands for money typically ask [for] payment through online payment providers like PayPal, online gift cards for Amazon, Google Play and the like, or through an e-transfer direct from bank accounts,” says the LPS.

Sextortion demands for money often come from international organized crime networks, which the LPS says can make criminal investigations a challenge. None of the reports filed this year have resulted in charges to date.

The LPS offers the following tips for victims of sextortion:

• Immediately stop all communication. Deactivate (but don’t delete) any of the accounts you are using to communicate with the individual.
• Do not comply with the threat. Never pay money and never send additional nude images. The situation will not get better by doing either of these things. If the youth has paid money, check to see if it has been collected and, if not, quickly cancel the payment.
• Dealing with sextortion is too serious for youth to manage on their own.
• Keep the correspondence. Keep any information, such as the person’s username(s), social media account information, and copies of the communications, along with any images and/or videos that were sent.

Victims of sextortion are asked to contact the Lethbridge Police Service at 403-328-444 or their local law enforcement agency. Tips can be submitted online to CyberTip.ca.

Youths can also speak to their teachers or school counsellors. The LPS Youth Engagement Unit has been working with educators about sextortion and how to assist young victims.

More details about sextortion, including downloadable resources for parents, are available at https://www.cybertip.ca/en/online-harms/sextortion/ or NeedHelpNow.ca

The following resources are also available for youth:

• CMHA Distress Line – 403-327-7905 or toll free 1-888-787-2880
• Kids Help Line – 1-800-668-6868
• AHS Mental Health Helpline (24 hours) – 1-877-303-2642

Read more Lethbridge News Now.