‘I was in a state of shock’ - Edinburgh man, 22, caught in $200 ‘sextortion’ scam after sharing nude photos on Instagram issues warning to others amid rise in cases during Covid pandemic

A 22-year-old Edinburgh man caught out by a ‘sextortion’ scam is urging others to never share personal images with strangers online amid a recent rise in such cases being reported to police in the Capital.

The man, who we are calling ‘Mark,’ was recently contacted by someone posing as an attractive young woman on Instagram messenger and the next day they exchanged nude images - a move instigated by the fake profile which he said appeared genuine.

But within seconds he was sent a collage of the three nude photos he had shared along with the profiles of his followers and a threat that the images would be sent to them unless he paid $200 to a Paypal account.

Speaking to the Edinburgh Evening News, he said: “I was sitting in bed and, as soon as that message came through I thought, ‘f***.’

A 22-year-old Edinburgh man who fell victim to a 'sextortion' scam through Instagram has spoken out about his personal experience in a bid to warn others. Pictures: Nito/Marek Masik - Shutterstock/ Police

“I sat for two minutes and thought, ‘as soon as I send money I will be asked for more.’ I just felt really vulnerable and that there was not really anywhere to turn. Even if I was to block them they still had the ability to send the photos out.

“In that first 30 minutes I was in a state of shock.”

But Mark, who fell victim to the cyber blackmail scam at the start of December, decided to call his mother to explain what happened and said that, although the idea of speaking about it with a parent may seem awkward to many, she was a “huge help” in calming him down and advised him not to pay the money.

Later that day he contacted police who are investigating the incident, which did not result in the images being shared.

Mark, who lives in the New Town, said he is normally very careful on social media and that the female Instagram profile seemed to “check out” - but following the experience he is now urging others to “never do anything like” that with strangers online.

He said: “Just definitely get to know the person for sure before you go anywhere in depth and don’t send anything personal and don’t let people into your life without knowing exactly who they are.

“They prey on that fear if you are caught in the moment. Once the immediate shock is over, call a friend or parent and call the police because they are very good at dealing with it.

“I have to come to terms with being a bit naive, and it’s a tough lesson to learn, but it does open your eyes to the real world.”

Sextortion reports rising

Police in Edinburgh warned earlier in December of a prevalent sextortion scam typically targeting men between the ages of 18 to 44 by organised crime groups usually based overseas.

Figures released by the force in mid November showed five more such crimes were reported in Edinburgh this year compared to last - an increase from 32 to 37.

The potentially tragic consequences of sextortion scams was highlighted in 2013 when Dunfermline 17-year-old, Daniel Perry, took his own life after being targeted through by an organised gang involved in cyber-crime in the Philippines. The teenager believed he was chatting to an American girl online but was then understood to have been told by blackmailers the conversation had been recorded and would be shared with friends and family unless he paid up.

Mark believes that other young men, especially those who are single, could potentially be more vulnerable just now because current Covid restrictions mean they are unable to go out and meet women in places like bars.

He said: “I am not that big of a social media type but in the last six months I have used it a lot more because it’s the only way to speak to people you know. That, paired with people getting a bit lonely, I think criminals will respond to it like a company responds to a gap in the market and try to take advantage, with a lot more people looking for relationships online.”

Signs to look for

Mark said when he was initially contacted by the Instagram profile, they asked typical questions like ‘Hi, how are you, where are you from or what do you do for work?’ which he says “disarmed” him.

Early the next morning, having had a few drinks the night before, the conversation became more flirtatious and then sexualised when they asked him if he would like to see naked pictures.

None of the nude pictures he sent showed his face but they did reveal distinctive sleeve tattoos which could identify him.

As someone who considers himself to be usually careful with social media, Mark warns that although unknown profiles might seem real if their pictures are being ‘liked’ by others and they have a lot of followers, these are tactics used by criminals to more effectively convince people to share personal images.

Detective Constable Oliver Healy, from Gayfield CID, said the simplest way to avoid falling victim is to not accept friend requests from people you don’t know.

He also stressed victims are frequently lured into a false sense of security when they see profiles which have the same mutual friends - but this again forms part of criminal tactics.

He said: "In the Edinburgh area, there has been a clear increase in 'sextortions' reported since the pandemic struck and lockdown measures were implemented in early 2020.

“This is a serious crime which can have catastrophic consequences for the victims. Victims should be reassured that police will treat each report as serious and confidential and that they will be supported, as it is likely given the nature of the crime that they will be experiencing heightened feelings of shame, self-blame, fear and anxiety."

Det Constable Healy also urged people to only share pictures online they are happy with friends and family seeing.

He said anyone who finds themselves being blackmailed or extorted should contact police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

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