Scots are being blackmailed in a sick sextortion scam as criminals target vulnerable victims in lockdown.
Police have reported a 'significant' rise in the number of people in Lanarkshire being coerced into webcam blackmail plots.
Criminals befriend victims online by using fake pictures or identities of attractive men and women before persuading them to perform sexual acts in front of their webcams.
The victim is then told the pictures and videos will be shared with their friends or family unless they hand over cash, typically via money transfer or can be via virtual currency such as Bitcoin or similar.
Officers are cracking down on these incidents and report the 'shame' and 'embarrassment' has led to self harm and suicides in extreme cases.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: "We have received a number of recent reports of this type of crime in Lanarkshire with data from Action Fraud revealing a significant increase across the UK during the lockdown period.
"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."
They have now issued advice and guidance to the public in a desperate bid to reduce incidents.
This includes:
1. Report to police and internet service provider immediately. Police Scotland will take your case seriously, deal with it in confidence and you will not be judged.
2. Don’t communicate any further with the criminals.
Take screenshots of all communications and use online reporting process for whichever platform has been used.
De-activate temporarily rather than deleting your accounts.
3. Don’t Pay.
Many victims who have paid continue to receive demands for money and offenders often go on to share images anyway.
