Maidstone RCMP said multiple reports of sexting scams were reported between October 2022 and the end of the year.
The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit issued a warning in November after receiving dozens of reports of ‘sextortion’ incidents involving children.
These scams often involve the ‘catfishing’ of teenage boys. The practice involves a person using a fake identity to lure online victims.
RCMP said the offenders posed as someone the victim knows, often a teenage girl. They build an online relationship with the victim until they have enough rapport to convince the victim to send sexual photos of themselves or explicit content.
“The age of the victim has something to do with it,” said Maidstone RCMP officer Noah Devine. “There might be a lot of naivety going on with it.”
The offender then demands money, threatening to share the sexual content with the victim’s contacts or on social media if they refuse to pay.
Scammers are often requesting anywhere between $200 to $2000 from their victims, according to police.
“Given the sensitive nature of these issues, it puts the victim in a very hard position,” Devine said.
The RCMP is warning the public to be very aware of who they are engaging with on social media.
“Is there any indication that this is a real person at all?” Devine said social media users should ask themselves when adding new friends online.
Parents also play a role in educating their children and teenagers about online safety.
“Be aware of the social media apps that your children are using,” said Devine. “Be aware of who they are talking to on these accounts and tell your children about the dangers of the malicious intent of some people.”
The best process for victims of scams to follow is to report the incident to the police with as much information as possible and immediately stop the conversation with the scammer.