A suburban teen was the victim of a “sextortion” scam in suburban Palos Park, prompting a warning from police.
The 18-year-old thought he was talking to a woman via an app called Yubo, and the other person asked him to send over explicit photos, according to police.
He did that, and 24 hours later, police said the conversation took a turn, as the individual threatened to post the pictures online unless he paid them not to.
“He was receiving additional calls. I believe he got some FaceTime calls, and they just kept nagging him for the money or they were going to release the photos,” Officer Brian Adcock said.
Police said the teen was being asked to send several hundred dollars to the scammer in the case. The teen reported the incident to police, cutting off communication with the scammer.
According to FBI data, victims of “sextortion scams” are typically boys between the ages of 14 and 17, and the bureau released a PSA last year about the rise in cases across the U.S.
Police say the best form of defense for parents is to keep an open line of communication with their child. It is recommended to be aware of the apps they’re using, and the messages they are sending.
In addition, the FBI recommends victims report the predators’ accounts through their respective platform’s safety features.
Most importantly, police urge victims to save the profile and messages that are sent, and contact police for help.
“Don’t be ashamed,” Adcock said. “Come to the police department to report it. We’re here to help you. We’re here to try to do as much as we can on the investigative side to try to end this or curtail this and stop this from happening.”
