Security awareness group KnowBe4 AFRICA has issued a warning that online extortion syndicates are becoming more prominent in South Africa, with teen boys in particular at risk, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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According to BusinessTech, the group highlighted a concerning global increase in financially motivated ‘sextortion,’ emphasising that victims in South Africa are particularly at risk.
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‘An increasing number of children and young people have been subjected to financial sextortion attempts over the past few years, and while criminals target all genders and age groups, boys between the ages of 14 and 18 are typically targeted for this type of crime,’ it said.
Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where criminals threaten to release sensitive material unless their demands, often for money or more explicit content, are met.
The rise in these crimes is linked to increased social media use amongst the younger cohort.
Content strategist at KnowBe4 AFRICA, Anna Collard, explained that criminals often target minors as they are more vulnerable and easier to manipulate.
‘Scammers will typically pose as attractive girls on social media and target a high school or sports club, specifically befriending prefects or sports captains – ‘good’ boys who have something to lose,’ she said.
‘These organised criminal groups usually impersonate teenage girls, using fake accounts on Instagram and then move onto other chat platforms to trick victims into sharing explicit images or videos of themselves.’
‘Once the scammers receive an image, they will immediately extort the victim, typically demanding a few thousand rand,’ she said.
Collard warned that victims should never pay, as it only encourages the criminals and leads to escalating demands.
‘When victims refuse to pay, the scammers often move on to another of the hundreds of fake social media accounts they operate simultaneously in search of a more malleable target.’
‘More often than not, these are empty threats that never materialise.’
Collard noted that sextortion is not just a financial crime; it can cause severe emotional and psychological harm, leading to anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts.
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‘This is a violent crime that has already led to about 40 teenage suicides so far.’
Risk experts advise avoiding sextortion by not sharing private content.
However, if children fall victim, it’s important to remember that many threats are often empty.
If private content is shared publicly, victims can use tools like the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) takeitdown tool to remove it from the internet.
‘We all make mistakes, but it really isn’t something that should ruin a young person’s life.’
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Picture: Unsplash
