Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
The FBI Charlotte Field Office has seen an increase in financially motivated sextortion crimes and the type of schemes being used. Across the country, financially motivated sextortion cases are skyrocketing. In North Carolina, from 2022 to 2023, FBI Charlotte saw a 20% increase in reports statewide. The number of victims is likely much higher, as many cases aren’t reported.
Financially motivated sextortion happens when criminals create fake accounts on social media and coerce victims into sending explicit photos or videos, then threaten the victim to pay or have the images shared online with their family and friends.
In most cases, the predator poses as a young girl and targets teenage boys. However, we’ve had cases with teenage girls and adults also falling victim.
Recently, some of the criminals have also used artificial intelligence to manipulate photos from a victim’s social media account into sexually themed images, then share them on social media, public forums, or pornographic websites.
Paying the criminals doesn’t make the scheme stop. They’ll continue to ask for more money.