Sextortion is a particularly insidious type of scam that targets kids and teens, using fear and shame to manipulate them into complying with a scammer’s demands. This scam often begins on social media platforms, gaming sites, or messaging apps, where scammers pose as someone the child’s age. After gaining the child’s trust, they persuade the child to share explicit photos or videos.
How Sextortion Works: Once the scammer has compromising content, they flip the script. They’ll threaten to share the photos or videos with the child’s friends, family, or social media followers unless the child sends more content or pays money. The scammer might demand payment in untraceable methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards, making it nearly impossible for law enforcement to track them down. Even if the child complies, the scammer often continues to make demands, trapping the victim in a cycle of fear and coercion.
A judge recently sentenced Dylan Matthew Deling (who also used the names Jason Keens and Dylan Nash) to 35 years in prison. Deling blackmailed more than 40 kids to force them into creating child porn.
Deling, 21, used multiple social media platforms like Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram as well as text messages to targert kids for a sextortion scam. Sextortion is defined as extorting sexually explicit images and videos from a victim.
Sadly, Deling is far from the only predator pulling scams like this. According to the FBI, thousands of children are targeted every year. They typically range in age from 10 to 17 but the crime can happen to people of any age.
Sextortion can have devastating emotional and psychological effects on kids and teens. Many feel ashamed and afraid to tell their parents, believing they’ve done something wrong. This isolation only deepens the control that the scammer has over them.
What Parents Can Do: The most important step parents can take is to create an open and supportive environment where their children feel comfortable discussing any issues they face online. Make sure your child knows that if something like this happens, they won’t be in trouble for coming forward. Educate them about the dangers of sharing personal or explicit images, even with people they think they can trust. If your child becomes a victim of sextortion, report it to the police and the platform where the scammer contacted them. Helping your child through this process is crucial to breaking the scammer’s control and ensuring they receive the support they need.