Wiltshire Police have recently seen an increase in sextortion offences across Wiltshire involving adults and children.
Sextortion is where criminals use fake dating or social media accounts to befriend people online and persuade them to send intimate pictures and videos or perform sexual acts.
They record or save them and threaten to share the content with friends and family unless a payment is made.
Both males and females can be victims of sextortion.
In November 2022, there were 22 cases across our region. That increased to 38 in February 2023.
Detective Sergeant Toni Nugent, from CID said: "Over the past 4 months we have seen an increase in sextortion reports, which is a form of blackmail. Although the numbers are still relatively low, we are concerned about the increase.
"We are seeing criminals targeting people through dating apps, social media and via other means to engage in conversation. They often use a fake identity and will then encourage you to share explicit images or videos of yourself. Threats will then be made to post them to you family and friends if you do not send them money or gift cards. The images can be recorded without you even knowing.
"If you are blackmailed online, please do not panic. Don’t pay, stop engaging and report it to the police. We take all reports very seriously.
"Always be careful when engaging with people you do not know online. You never really know who is behind the profile, so protect yourself."
You can also find advice on sextortion (cybercrime) on our website: Cyber crime | Wiltshire Police
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