According to the FBI, there has been a disturbing rise in sextortion schemes targeting children in the Monroe, Alexandria, and Shreveport areas. The FBI says it has received several reports of predators posing as children and coercing minors into sending them sexually explicit materials for the purpose of extorting money from them. Spokesperson Connor Hagan says prevention begins with a clear warning…
“Kids need to understand that whoever they meet online if they’ve never met them in person, there’s a really good chance that that person is not who they say that they are,” he said.
Hagan says an underage person should never send intimate or explicit photos or videos over the internet. He pointed out that many kids believe that using certain apps delete questionable content after a view and they are protected. Unfortunately, they are not.
“These scammers who are targeting kids in our area know that,” said Hagan. “They know that they can record certain things off their phones and they use those recordings in a despicable manner to target these kids for financial gain.”
One of the barriers to identifying and catching predators is the embarrassment that the victims feel. Hagan offers advice to parents or guardians when dealing with a child who comes forward.
“When they come forward and let you know that they’ve been a victim of sextortion, that’s not a time to judge their actions,” he added. “That’s a time to get them the help that they need. And to do that you need to contact the FBI.”
If you know someone who may be a victim of sextortion, contact FBI New Orleans at 504-816-3000 and do not delete anything that could potentially be used as evidence.
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