Hanover Police Chief Christopher Knoll says the municipality’s police service recently received two reports in the same day of young people becoming the victim of online sextortion.
The term ‘sextortion’ refers to the practice of extorting money or favors from someone by blackmailing them and threatening to reveal evidence of their sexual activity.
Chief Knoll posted about the issue on Twitter on April 4th, saying, “Criminals are preying on our kids & others, gaining their trust, requesting intimate photos and pouncing when the images are sent by demanding money.”
He adds, “If money isn’t sent, they are threatening to share the images with the victim’s family and friends. Even if money is sent through, these criminals demand more money over and over again.”
Knoll advises, “Talk to your kids today about these crimes & the dangers of sharing intimate images online.”
The Government of Canada has information about sextortion and how to educate your kids about it online: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/online-child-sexual-exploitation/sexting-sextortion.html