NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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TOWNSHIP OF CENTRE WELLINGTON - On Jan. 25, 2022, the Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a report of a sextortion incident. Sextortion is a form of extortion where a blackmailer uses the threat of publishing or sending intimate images or videos to contacts, unless the victim meets their demands.
In this incident, the victim was contacted by an unknown person on Snapchat. The suspect and the victim exchanged intimate images. The suspect then gained access to the victim's Instagram account and threatened to send the intimate images to the victim's friends and family.
The victim sent over $500 to the suspect, but when the suspect demanded more money, the victim contacted police.
The Wellington County OPP would like to remind residents to follow safe internet practices. Do not engage in conversations with strangers and do not share intimate images online.
If something similar should happen to you, immediately stop all communication with the person and do not comply with the threats. Contact police who can provide advice on the next steps to take. Also, keep copies of the messages and information such as the username, social media account etc.
For more information on frauds, you can visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at http://www.antifraudcentre.ca.
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