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Authorities said that state police investigators have received multiple reports of minors being contacted by other social media users who began conversing with them over messaging services on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
“Investigators believe online predators may often give the impression they are romantically interested in the minor being targeted, to gain their trust,” they stated.
“As the chats progress, the suspect user will request sexually illicit photographs of the minor, and might even send photographs back to the minor in return.”
According to police, if the minor sends a sexually explicit photo of themselves to the predators, the suspect involved in the scam then may demand cash, typically in the form of gift cards or a prepaid credit card.
As part of the scam, police said that the suspect accounts then advise that if the money isn’t sent, the photos will be sent to family, friends, and posted online alongside distasteful comments about the minor.
They made note that investigators have found that many of the suspect accounts originate from foreign countries, making it more difficult to identify or locate the perpetrator.
In response to the recent rise in reported cases, the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division in the Eastern Region offered a series of tips for parents to help children from being targeted:
- 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,” officials said. “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.”
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