Warwickshire residents warned as 'sextortion' criminals try to take advantage as people spend more time online

Police are warning Warwickshire residents of the dangers of 'sextortion' cyber criminals, who are trying to take advantage as people spend more time online because of the lockdown.

The criminals are attempting to trick people into believing they have been filmed via their computer’s webcam watching porn or conducting sexual acts, in return for payment.

This is known as a form of ‘sextortion’ which sees criminals email victims threatening to share intimate video footage with their friends, family or the wider public via email or social media unless the victim makes a substantial payment within 24 hours of receiving the email.

These types of ‘phishing’ scams are often made more believable by the inclusion of a current or historic online password and payment is usually demanded via BitCoin to make it difficult to trace where the payment has gone to.

The scams are designed to play on people’s emotions and pressure them into paying the demand, even if no such footage exists.

Another form of sextortion is when cyber criminals encourage victims to perform sex acts and then threaten to publish the footage unless the victim pays a sum of money.

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Belcher from Warwickshire Police said: “Sextortion can be incredibly traumatic for victims who are understandably frightened of the consequences of any such video material being circulated and are often forced to pay out substantial sums of money.

“If people do end up being blackmailed in this way there are people to help you, don’t suffer in silence, and contact 101, or tell someone close, and do not pay the money.”

Here's how to protect yourself

Don’t reply to the email or be pressured into paying

If a password is mentioned in the email, reset the passwords on accounts that may have used this password or a variation of it as soon as you can.

Also turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) where possible

Ensure you’ve installed the latest anti-virus software on your computer and keep that updated

What to do if you are a victim of sextortion

Do not engage with the fraudster – delete the e-mail.

You can report the email as a phishing email to Action Fraud here.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sextortion and have paid the ransom, please report it to Warwickshire Police on 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.

For more advice and information about staying secure online, visit the National Cyber Security Centre website at www.ncsc.gov.uk