Police in Prince George’s County say that potential date you’re talking to online might want you for your money.
So far this year, police say there have been 19 reported cases of what are commonly known as “crimes of sextortion,” but the Maryland county also believes the true number is more than 30. The spike began last year when 23 case were reported. In 2022, they heard from only two victims.
While the victims live around the D.C. area, the suspect might not.
“It’s hard to tell where these calls are coming from,” said Brian Fischer, a spokesman for Prince George’s County Police. “They can mask where the calls are coming from. They could make it seem like a call is coming from another state, whereas it could be coming from out of the country.”
Police say that most of the time, the victims — both men and women — meet the suspect through a social media platform. After a little flirting that convinces the victim there’s some romantic interest, the suspect will convince the victim that it’s a good idea to share explicit images with them. Then, the victim gets hit up for money under the threat that the pictures will be made public if they don’t pay up.
“Because you pay these people, doesn’t mean that the extortion stops,” Fischer said. “Once you have given them $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, they’ll say ‘it doesn’t end here. You’re going to pay me a monthly fee of $2,000, $3,000,’ and it just will never end.”
So far this year, the victims have paid scammers a combined total well over $100,000.
“The person is well versed in how to lure you and how to reel you in to a romantic, and what seems to be perhaps, a future connection,” said Fischer. “They’ll say ‘I am so attracted to you. I would love to see what you look like, and I would love to see you as yourself.’ Whatever they say to make the person feel like, ‘Oh, they really want me.'”
Police say you shouldn’t fall for it, but if someone you know is being extorted, the first thing you should do is file a police report. Police also want you to save the profile information and the messages you exchanged. Finally, report the social media account to the platform that was used, and block that person from ever contacting you again.
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