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

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

A 69-year-old man from the Uckermark turned to the police on June 29 after he was contacted by an unknown woman via Facebook. This had initially sent him intimate pictures, which prompted the man to return freely. What started as a harmless online flirt ended in a veritable extortion. The unknown requested an amount of money in the three -digit range and threatened to publish the images unless their claim was met. The police have started the investigation and urges you to send personal data or intimate photos to unknown people on the Internet. The incident shows how important it is to exercise caution if you move in the digital world, because we are all potential targets for such machinations as Nordkurier reported.

Sextortion - a mixture of "sex" and "extorting" (i.e. blackmail) - is a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly important and dangerous. Perpetrators use social networks and online dating platforms to bait their victims. Often those affected are asked to take off on the webcam and perform sexual acts. These actions are then often recorded without the victim's knowledge. If the perpetrators do not come to their desired goal, they threaten to publish the videos on the Internet. These methods are not only perfidious, but also mean that many people respond to ransom demands, such as ZDF.

where does the problem start?

Such fraud is often affected by men, although women are not excluded. It is particularly problematic that minors are often lured into these traps. The so -called grooming, in which perpetrators try to gain the trust of children and sexually harass them, can also be viewed here as sexual abuse. According to the Police Advice Center, parents and schools should therefore actively clarify about these topics and promote the media literacy of young people.

The Federal Office of Information Technology has shown that sex management is one of the three most common threats on the Internet. While numerous cases in the middle three -digit range have already been reported in 2022, in 2023 and 2024 so far, there is a slightly increased risk. It remains to be hoped that those affected will learn to seek help in such situations and inform the police to prevent such incidents and to put the craft from the perpetrators.

To protect yourself, it is crucial not to send intimate pictures or videos about social media and not to accept any friendship requests from strangers. Personal data should also always be held back when communicating via online platforms. In case of doubt, it can be helpful to cover the camera to protect yourself from possible surveillance. However, if recordings are made and such claims are made, it is advisable to stop contact immediately and not to meet the requests. Help offer advice centers such as the White Ring that can support people.