MDSP Warn Of Online Sexual Extortion Scam Targeting Minors

Marylanders are being warned to be on guard for online predators.
State police said Tuesday that they have received numerous reports about minors being contacted on social media via messaging services. The chat sometimes results in a request for sexually illicit photos of the minor, and the perpetrator may send a phot as well. If an explicit photo is received, that’s sometimes followed by a demand for money, often in the form of a gift card and prepaid credit card numbers.
A threat is sometimes made to release such photos if payment is not made.
State Police said it’s a scam that’s totally avoidable by following common-sense guidelines regarding social media and young people.

Maryland State Police released additional tips:

The Criminal Enforcement Division – Eastern Region urges parents and guardians to talk to and educate their children about the importance of online safety; specifically, the following points:

• When contacted by an account you do not know, it is very possible the account does not belong to who they say they are;
• Although an account might seem harmless at first, the nature of a chat can quickly become threatening and intimidating;
• DO NOT click on unknown links / URLs sent by unknown accounts;
• DO NOT take illicit photographs of yourself;
• DO NOT send illicit photographs of yourself online;
• If you are contacted by an unknown account, it is best to ignore the message, report the account to the social media platform, and block the account from being able to view your profile.

Safety on the Internet includes the use of any device that has access to online activity.  Investigators from the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit remind all ages to be vigilant as it relates to internet safety. Children are often the target populations for online criminal activity.

Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s use of all digital devices. Digital devices include laptops, tablets, desktop computers and ‘smart’ phones.

Internet Safety Tips for Parents:

• Place computers in a common area of the house and not bedrooms
• Educate yourself about digital devices and the Internet
• Make reasonable rules and set screen time limits
• Reinforce the guiding rule “Don’t talk to strangers”
• Put accounts in your name and know your child’s passwords
• Don’t let your children give out personal information online
• Be aware of other digital devices your child may be using
• Review the use histories or logs of your digital devices to see where your children have been online

Complaints involving the exploitation of children should be filed with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at www.missingkids.com or 1-800-THE-LOST. Complaints of child exploitation may include harassment, cyberbullying, sexual abuse and child pornography. Maryland State Police investigators in the Computer Crimes Unit work closely with NCMEC in the investigation of crimes involving child exploitation. If a child is believed to be in imminent danger, citizens are urged to contact their local police or call 9-1-1 immediately.

The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit coordinates the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This is a combined law enforcement effort involving police departments across Maryland that is made possible in part due to grant funds provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth and Victim Services and by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Task force investigators focus on identifying those involved in child pornography via the Internet and other related crimes that victimize children.