British lawmakers have been urged to contact the police following a sexting scam targeting them. A senior Conservative member admitted to disclosing personal phone numbers of colleagues to an individual who possessed compromising material. The chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee revealed that he shared the numbers with a man he met on a dating app after exchanging intimate pictures.
The individual allegedly had compromising information on the chairman, leading him to provide some colleagues' numbers out of fear and feeling manipulated. The scam, described as 'spear phishing,' involves scammers pretending to be trusted sources to obtain personal or sensitive data.
Treasury minister Gareth Davies encouraged those affected to report the incident to the authorities. The revelation came after reports that several current and former parliamentarians had been contacted by an unknown number on WhatsApp, seeking personal information. Some targets received explicit images and responded in kind.
Leicestershire Police confirmed an investigation into malicious communications after a local lawmaker received unsolicited messages. The incident serves as a reminder for individuals to seek help if they feel compromised or blackmailed, emphasizing the seriousness of such situations.
