69-year-old from Uckermark: Online flirtation ends in perfidious blackmail!

69-year-old from Uckermark: Online flirtation ends in perfidious blackmail!

A 69-year-old man from Uckermark contacted the police on June 29th after he was contacted by an unknown woman on Facebook. She initially sent him intimate pictures, which prompted the man to also send back revealing pictures of himself. What started as a harmless online flirtation ended in real blackmail. The stranger demanded a three-digit sum of money and threatened to publish the pictures if her demands were not met. The police have started an investigation and strongly warn against sending personal data or intimate photos to unknown people on the Internet. The incident shows how important it is to exercise caution when navigating the digital world, as we are all potential targets for such schemes Nordkurier reports.

Sextortion – a mixture of “sex” and “extortion” (i.e. blackmail) – is a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly important and dangerous. Perpetrators use social networks and online dating platforms to lure their victims. Those affected are often asked to undress and perform sexual acts in front of the webcam. These actions are then often recorded without the victim's knowledge. If the perpetrators do not achieve their desired goal, they threaten to publish the videos on the Internet. These methods are not only perfidious, but also lead many people to accept ransom demands out of fear, as [ZDF](https://www.zdfheute.de/panorama/ criminalitaet/sextortion-erpressung-pornografie-nacktbilder-sociale-medien-100.html) shows.

Where does the problem start?

Men are often affected by such scams, although women are not excluded either. What is particularly problematic is that minors are often lured into these traps. So-called grooming, in which perpetrators try to gain the trust of children and sexually harass them, can also be viewed as sexual abuse. According to Polizei-Beratungsstelle, parents and schools should therefore actively educate about these topics and promote media literacy among young people.

The Federal Office for Information Security has revealed that sextortion is one of the three most common threats on the Internet. While numerous cases in the mid-three-digit range were already reported in 2022, 2023 and 2024 have so far been characterized by a slightly increased risk. It remains to be hoped that those affected will learn to seek help in such situations and inform the police in order to prevent such incidents and stop the perpetrators.

To protect yourself, it's crucial not to send intimate pictures or videos on social media and not to accept friend requests from strangers. Personal data should also always be withheld when communicating via online platforms. If in doubt, it can be helpful to cover the camera to protect yourself from possible surveillance. However, if recordings are made and such requests are made, it is advisable to break off contact immediately and not to comply with the requests. Advice centers such as the Weißer Ring, which can support those affected, offer help.