Delta police have issued a warning about an extortion scam based in the Philippines targeting men and teenage boys.
According to police, the scammers have been reaching out to their targets using social media, including apps and video chat.
In one recent instance, police said a man reported that he had been engaged in a video chat with a woman who claimed to be overseas and who removed some of her clothing.
Police said she encouraged him to reciprocate and later claimed to have recorded the interaction. She then demanded $1,500 or said she would post the video to social media, police said.
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The man did not transfer the money and instead reported the incident to the police. Investigators advised him to cut off contact, and an initial investigation revealed that her account was fake.
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“Our officers are cautioning people to be careful when embarking upon online relationships, particularly when the other party lives overseas,” said Delta police spokesperson Cris Leykauf.
“Taking part in revealing videos is just as risky as sending naked photos, as there is the possibility for extortion.”
According to police, there have been at least three instances of this scam in the Delta area, with all suspects appearing to be in the Philippines.
Police said not all victims sent revealing photos, however, in other cases, the suspects threatened to Photoshop the victim’s face onto nude images.
Delta police added that people should always use caution when transferring money in such situations, as it will likely be impossible to recover.
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