Police warn of sextortion in Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire Police is urging people to stay vigilant online after a recent case of sextortion in the county left a victim blackmailed and exposed. 

The victim had met someone through a dating app and later moved their conversation to WhatsApp, where they were encouraged to expose themselves during a video call. 

Shortly afterwards, the caller demanded a large sum of money, threatening to share screenshots of the video if the payment was not made. When the victim refused, the screenshots were sent to people in their contact list, and the video was later uploaded to a pornographic website. Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Sextortion is a growing form of cybercrime in which criminals threaten to release intimate photos or videos to extort money or force someone into doing something against their will. 

Offenders often hide behind fake identities on dating apps, social media or adult websites, using manipulation to gain trust before turning to blackmail. 

Lincolnshire Police warn that if someone you meet online quickly becomes sexual, pressures you to share intimate images or tries to move the conversation to a private messaging service, it may be an attempt at sextortion.

Officers are advising people never to share intimate content online and to review their privacy settings to prevent strangers from accessing their friends and family information. 

Once an image has been shared, they warn, control over it is lost. They also say to be cautious of anyone who develops a relationship unusually fast, sends sexual images early on, pressures you to do things you are uncomfortable with or claims to have hacked your account.

Anyone who becomes a victim of sextortion is urged not to panic and reminded that it is not their fault. 

Police advice is to stop all communication with the offender immediately, not to pay any money, and to save all evidence including screenshots, messages, usernames, email addresses and bank details. Victims should also collect any web links where their images may have been shared and report the incident to the police. 

Social media platforms will usually remove intimate content shared without consent, and victims who have made payments are encouraged to inform their bank.

Lincolnshire Police are encouraging anyone affected by sextortion to report it by calling 101 or contacting CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999