KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri Police Department is warning of extortion scams, which often target college students through the use of explicit photos.
MUPD said it has received 10 reports of sexual extortion, or "sextortion," during the current academic school year.
Police said scammers target college students through apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
The scammers flirt with the target before soliciting sexual images and videos. Once the scammer receives the sexual images and videos, they typically threaten to share them unless the victim pays them money.
“When you’re online, it’s difficult to ascertain who you are interacting with,” James Young, a crime prevention officer with MUPD, said in a statement. “We strongly encourage students to consider the risks before sending or posting anything they might regret later.”
The FBI reported an "explosion" of extortion cases targeting children and teenagers in December 2022 with more than 7,000 reports and 3,000 victims during the prior year.
"The shame, fear, and confusion children feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevents them from asking for help or reporting the abuse," the FBI said in a release. "Caregivers and young people should understand how the crime occurs and openly discuss online safety."
MUPD said some tips to improve online safety include being selective about what you share and who you share sensitive content with, being cautious about messages from strangers and aware of potential catfishing.
Police also suggested not sharing sexual images or videos with someone you don't know, to be suspicious of people who ask to switch platforms to chat and to report suspicious accounts.
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For jurisdictions that utilize the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline, anonymous tips can be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
