Vulnerable adults have been targeted and blackmailed into sending thousands of pounds for viewing explicit content online.
The News has reported on a few sextortion cases where residents in Ascot and Bracknell Forest have been targeted by scammers.
Since March 2020, there have been three reported cases to police where people have been scared and tricked into giving a large sum of money to fraudsters.
But how does this keep happening?
Anti-virus and malware site Sophos has explained how sextortion works and why it is on the rise.
A sextortion is where cybercriminals email you out of the blue to claim that they’ve implanted malware on your computer, and have therefore been able to keep tabs on your online activity.
The crooks go on to claim that they’ve taken screenshots of you looking at a porn site or sharing explicit videos online – along with video recorded from your webcam.
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Police have also reported how the scammers will threaten to send the explicit and embarrassing screenshots and the webcam footage to your friends and family.
Just a couple of days ago on September 1, police sent a warning after a man received an "out of the blue" video call on Wednesday, August 26, on a Contact App from a woman he didn't know.
A report from the victim said the woman was laying naked in a provocative position and started a conversation with him. The victim answered a few innocuous questions and then ended the call.
Straight away he received another call from the same number from a man demanding cash. The cyber criminal said he had recorded a video of the conversation with the woman which he would send to the victim’s wife and all of his friends if he did not send £2,000.
Luckily the victim didn't send money but because he refused to co-operate or send any money, the scammer sent screenshots of the video call to his wife's Facebook page, to show he was serious about posting the video to all of his friends and family.
What do you do in this situation?
This is simply a scams and are there to frighten you into sending money.
Just delete the offending emails and move on and never send any money.
Thames Valley Police also say victims should report it to them in total confidence.
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