How to recognise sextortion

How to recognise sextortion

Hello Resident

How to recognise sextortion

Criminals often target people through dating apps, social media, webcams, or pornography sites. They may use a fake identity to befriend you online. If a person you’ve just met online chats to you in a sexual way, or asks for sexual images, it might be an attempt at sextortion.

You should be wary if someone you’ve met online:

is trying to start a relationship with you very quickly (they may even send you a sexual image first)

chats to you in a sexual way, or asks for sexual images, soon after you've met them.

has sent friend requests to lots of people, not just you

repeatedly asks you to do sexual things that you’re not comfortable with

tells you they’ve hacked your account or have access to your contacts

Sextortion attempts can happen very quickly, or they can happen over a long time. You should never share sexual images or information about yourself if you are not comfortable.

You can still be a victim of sextortion if you haven't shared sexual images or information. Criminals may have hacked one of your accounts, or created edited or fake images or videos, like deepfakes, of you that appear real.

Even if blackmail isn't involved, sharing or threatening to share intimate photos or videos of you without your permission is illegal. This is called 'revenge porn' or intimate image abuse.

Protecting yourself

You should stop engaging with the individual if you feel uncomfortable, or if someone contacts you online who you don't know.

You can also review your privacy settings. Criminals are less likely to target you if they can’t see who your friends and family are.

Report it

If you are a victim of sextortion, or you are worried you are being targeted, it's never your fault, you are not to blame and have done nothing wrong.

We understand that it might be difficult to report this type of crime to us, but there's help available and we're here to listen and support you in any way we can.

In Wednesfield and Heath Town, sextortion has evolved from isolated harassment into a systematic form of digital blackmail. As of May 2026, "Violence and Sexual Offences" remain the most reported crime category in these wards, with nearly 200 incidents recorded in March 2026 alone.

Recent Local History (2025–2026)

Financial Blackmail Surges: By early 2026, digital blackmail cases in Wolverhampton reached a decade high. One notable 2026 case involved a £5,000 extortion plot where victims were targeted via social media.

Targeting of Youth: In February 2026, a local man was jailed for 18 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court. His campaign involved grooming girls aged 12–15 and using threats to force them into sharing indecent images.

Student Scams: In January 2026, police issued warnings after a university student was blackmailed on Snapchat. Scammers posed as an attractive contact, recorded intimate interactions, and threatened to send the footage to the victim’s family and university if a ransom wasn't paid.

Evolution of the Threat

The "history" of this crime in the area shows a shift from personal disputes to organised criminal operations:

Era	Method	Local Context
Pre-2020	Revenge Porn	Typically motivated by personal malice following a breakup.
2021–2024	Random Phishing	Bulk emails claiming webcams were hacked, though rarely with real footage.
2025–Present	Organised Sextortion	Criminal gangs use dating apps and AI-generated "lures" specifically for financial gain.

Immediate Steps if Targeted

If you are being blackmailed in the Wolverhampton area:

Stop All Contact: Do not pay the ransom; paying often leads to higher demands rather than the deletion of images.

Preserve Evidence: Take screenshots of the messages and the blackmailer’s profile before blocking them.

Local Support: Visit the Wolverhampton West Midlands Police Advice Page for direct links to local support officers.

Thank You.

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Message Sent By
Ian Kerrigan 30536
(West Midlands Police - Wolverhampton, PCSO, Wolverhampton - Wednesfield & Heath Town)