Sextortion is a rising form of cybercrime in which a scammer, often posing as an online love interest, convinces an unwitting victim to send them sexual images. They then threaten to release the images if the victim does not pay up. — Photo by Andrew Guan on Unsplash
The picture-taker hits send. The threats begin. Take a breath; there are things you can do.
1. First of all, don’t pay the scammer.
According to experts, it won’t help. “Paying rarely stops the sextortion,” said Susan Kennedy, the director of community of engagement at the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
ALSO READ: ‘Chelsea’ asked for nude pictures. Then the sextortion began.
2. Block the harasser, but don’t delete your account.
“You don’t want to fully delete your profile, because there will be information on there that law enforcement can use,” Kennedy said. “Those messages can be helpful in the investigation.”
3. Tell law enforcement.
Report the incident(s) to CyberSecurity Malaysia’s Cyber999 Help Centre for further assistance, either by sending an email to cyber999@cybersecurity.my or by calling 1-300-88-2999 (monitored during business hours).
In case of an emergency outside regular working hours, send a text message to 019-266 5850.
4. You can get a photo taken down.
“It is really important to know it’s not a hopeless situation,” Kennedy said. “We used to tell kids once something is out on the Internet it’s out there forever – it’s not true.”
If an explicit or sexually compromising image is posted online, there are ways to get it removed via software like Take It Down, a program developed by the center that works by assigning a digital fingerprint to a photo that enables tech companies to seek out and remove it. It can be used anonymously: takeitdown.ncmec.org.
Kennedy also urges parents to begin conversations with children about the risk of online sextortion as early as elementary school; she’s seen sextortion victims as young as eight years old, she said.
“It’s important for parents to talk to kids about this for two reasons: First of all they will know that there is help if this does happen to them,” Kennedy said. “But the other reason kids don’t come forward is they don’t think that there is anything they can do about it.” – The New York Times
Those contemplating suicide can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 / 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999 / 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim’s family, social and community care centre (011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); or Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929 / email sam@befrienders.org.my / befrienders centres in malaysia).
