FBI warns parents, minors of growing ‘sextortion’ threat

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The FBI wants to warn parents, caregivers, teachers and children of a threat of online activity that may lead offenders to coerce minors to create and send sexually explicit images or videos and extort the victims to send more or to send money, called “sextortion.”

FBI officials said this threat is growing.

“We’ve seen an alarming increase in financial sextortion schemes targeting children not only in the Bay Area, but across the country,” said Robert Tripp, FBI Special Agent in Charge, in a news release.

The offender may convince the victim to send sexually explicit material and then threaten to release it online if the victim doesn’t send more sexually explicit content or payment, officials said. The offenders are seeking sexual gratification and/or money, usually in the form of gift cards, mobile payments, wire transfers or cryptocurrency, officials said.

Between October 2021 and March 2023, officials said they received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors involving at least 12,600 victims and leading to at least 20 suicides.

Between October 2022 and March 2023, the FBI said they have seen a 20 percent increase in reports of financially motivated sextortion.

Victims are usually boys between the ages of 14 and 17, but any child can become a victim, officials said. Sextortion can lead victims to self-harm or suicide, according to the FBI.

In financially motivated sextortion, offenders are usually located outside of the U.S. and most often in West African or Southeast Asian countries, FBI officials said.

Anyone who thinks they or a loved one are victims of sextortion should report it to law enforcement immediately by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.