Police in Lanarkshire have confirmed they have received reports of sextortion and blackmail during the lockdown period.
Data from Action Fraud has revealed a significant increase across the UK of this type of crime during the lockdown period.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Webcam blackmail or sextortion are incidents whereby criminals befriend victims online, by using fake identities, and then persuade them to perform sexual acts in front of their webcam, often by using attractive women/men to entice the victim to participate.
“The criminals then threaten to share the images unless you pay them.
“This is usually via money transfer or can be via virtual currency such as Bitcoin or similar.
“These webcam videos are recorded by the criminals who then threaten to share the images with the victims’ friends and family. This can leave the victims feeling ashamed and embarrassed and in extreme cases, have resulted in self-harm or victims taking their own lives.
“Males and females of any age, anywhere, can become victims with children being particularly vulnerable.
“The best way to protect yourself is to be selective about whom you befriend online just as you would offline, especially when considering sharing intimate images.”
Police have offered advice to victims stating anyone should report the matter to police immediately, don’t communicate any further with the criminals and don’t pay any money to the criminals.
