Photo by Whitehorse Star
RCMP send out extortion alert
Over the past week, the Yukon RCMP have received three reports of underage victims being extorted online.
Over the past week, the Yukon RCMP have received three reports of underage victims being extorted online.
In a news release issued Tuesday, police said the first two reports were very similar. The suspect used the same name on a social media platform (Facebook), identified online as a female, sent friend requests to the victims, then initiated conversation.
The suspect then invited the victims into video chats and asked them to expose themselves. Unknowingly to the victims, the suspect recorded the video chat.
The suspect then started threatening the victims that if they did not send the money, the videos and images would be shared on several online platforms.
The RCMP are aware that some of the images were already shared.
“This suspect is not believed to be located in Canada and seems to be targeting youth; however, there could be adult victims,” police said.
The RCMP then received a third report of a youth being extorted online. This report was on another social media platform (Google Hangout).
The suspect in this report threatened to distribute nude images of the youth victim if they did not pay them money by a certain time.
Yukon RCMP and outside agencies are working together to identify the origin of the suspect.
RCMP believe there may be more victims. If you are a victim of similar offences, contact your nearest detachment.
Do not send money, stop communicating with the person, and keep the online conversations for investigation.
If you have information that may be helpful to police in these investigations, call the police at 667-5555.
Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar
In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.
Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.
Comments (7)
Up 9 Down 10
spud on Mar 3, 2021 at 9:24 am
What a shame!!! I'll bet these child victims seldom if ever attend school? Obviously don't have responsible parents?? So without school and a responsible family, what can we expect?? Just take a few minutes and observe those stumbling around the Liquor Store Plaza, high on drugs and booze. The poor souls don't have a chance now or in the future. Without a caring family, they are done. Just awaiting death from overdose or exposure.
Up 15 Down 1
To bonazajoe on Mar 3, 2021 at 7:46 am
Schools are going over this stuff. And it's never ending. I took away my son's phone--he hasn't had one for 5 months now. I don't know how to stop all of the garbage he can get into--you can use filters and passwords and check their phones but they can still be one step ahead of you. These cyber pedophiles are very sophisticated and kill with their extortion--(Amanda Todd). So yes, more education and when the RCMP did a presentation here, best advice ever: 'Just give your teens a flip phone. Nobody needs to have the internet at the their fingers 24/7, esp. not teens who get addicted to it, and make poor choices, allowing themselves to be extorted.'
Up 9 Down 10
Josey Wales on Mar 3, 2021 at 6:49 am
Seen the headline and thought, awesome!
Awesome as I thought the RCMP may be warning Canadians effin CITIZENS returning to their soil, that the Canadian *LIBERAL Party is shaking our citizens down.
Thought they may warn folks of THAT extortion racket, shaking citizens down for thousands of dollars...and "mandated" time in a Kung Flu PRISON.
NAAAAAaaaaaa...
Silly Josey, they too are state actors...never against the state would they speak out Gaaaawd NO!
Seems we are in a cold war of lawfare in a 1st world country, under siege by many many state actors..."subject" to THEIR whims? Up if ya agree, down if you love subjugation by the state.
Since the headline got me, as headlines do...back to the actual "warning"
Thanks for the warning there is danger online, thanks for the warning parents need pay actual or better attention to what THEIR children do and the DANGERS their actions can and often do bring.
Kind of like danger of any kind really, one needs to make personal judgements on what level of difficulty and danger is worth the risks taken.
However, in the context of potential danger, potential sextortion, potential ill effects of your OWN online activity...the choice is so soooo clear!
The internet must be shut down IMMEDIATELY!!!!
Yes it may cause some ill effects to our economy, everyone's life, international trade and communication, create serious social issues and angst...but?
We are all in this together, takes a village to raise a child, everyone must do their part, not the fault of nefarious POS's that predate children, not the fault of a disgustingly dysfunction LEGAL system rife with yup...LIBERALS, the fault AND 100% of the danger is the internet!! Just like those scary Black Rifles rife with "potential danger", the internet is just waiting to create havoc!
The fact that humans need operate both prior to danger and breaches of public safety occurring is completely irrelevant, the risks are too damn high... cuz "danger" and "public safety" of course.
Hence my call to have the internet go dark..."for safety", danger is well dangerous the risks are TOO GREAT...it must cease now.
Or we could "mask" it (the net), and have every social media post run through RCMP servers? Do not support that, why do you want children predated, why are you so selfish that your life trumps commune "SAFETY" and "Danger"?
"if you have nothing to hide" why the opposition?
I/we know the majority of online users are NOT the scumbags, but if we could stop "just one" youngster from getting sextorted, one adult from getting embarrassed and also sextorted...we can each make a sacrifice and allow the state to cease the internet from even being a thing.
Please edit sans, as the message of public safety via the state is not remotely consistent, nor are the reactions to said public safety.
Not dropping this on M, but it was their headline and my opportunity to project a few of my own thoughts (freely expressed as per CCoR&F) on "Danger", "Public Safety" and personal choices as it relates to both.
OJW footnote...did not know "sextortion" was a word but my spellchecker did?
Must be my male priv, learned a word today...thanks M
Up 15 Down 0
--- oh sigh. what has the internet become on Mar 2, 2021 at 7:50 pm
Wouldn't these people be charged for child porn?
Up 15 Down 1
Juniper Jackson on Mar 2, 2021 at 7:39 pm
uh huh..unless they were really little kids, like REALLY little.. these kids knew better than to expose themselves anywhere. At the same time.. "sexting' is a big thing these days, and Dr. Tam encourages this sort of thing as 'safe sex'. I guess it is that. However.. they were smart enough to tell their parents I hope. And all parents should be having that chat with their kids. It's a real easy talk too. "DON'T TAKE DOWN YOUR PANTS FOR ANYONE. EVER. there ya go.
Up 16 Down 1
WTF RCMP? on Mar 2, 2021 at 4:09 pm
That is not extortion that is an aggravated sexual assault - FFS! Don’t they teach charging at the academy anymore?
Where the truck are we going as a society? No, no, no... That’s not murder. We all die at some time so uh, the way I see it, s/he/they are responsible for not clearly stating to the victim here before the court today that s/he/they wanted to live. With this whole assisted suicide thing... It’s kind of a grey area now...
So, to safe guard the administration of Justice so as not to bring it into disrepute, ouch my balls, I sentence you to a 2 year Community Sentence Order, less one day, without probation to follow because I can see you are remorseful and you took the I’m A Kind Man Program while you were in jail for that 10 day period... Oh, I know you said you were bored but it’s the thought that counts, ouch my balls! The court sincerely apologizes for having to pass sentence on you but for now we are still required to make appearances, I’m sorry.
Up 40 Down 9
bonanzajoe on Mar 2, 2021 at 2:50 pm
Are parents not watching what their kids are doing on the internet these days? Are they not teaching their children about such things? What about the schools? They are teaching our children about all forms of sexual crap. Are they not lecturing them on online scams?