The New Brunswick RCMP says it is noticing a concerning increase in teens being extorted online by people threatening to share intimate images of them.

The individuals, likely part of “organized crime groups”, target young people, particularly children, convincing them to share intimate photos and videos of themselves, then demanding money in exchange for agreeing not to share them with friends and family, said RCMP. spokesman Hans Ouellette.

“They could be asking for cash, gift cards, e-currency,” Ouellette said.

“Basically, they're threatening our youth, or our victims who are caught up in this, to… share those intimate images if they don't pay up.”

Ouellette said the RCMP originally shared a press release last November that said its Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit was investigating “several” reports of online extortion targeting youth for financial gain. throughout the province.

On Tuesday, the RCMP updated that statement to remind parents to talk to their children about Internet safety in light of a “spike” in such reports coming from the Moncton region.

“It is important that victims do not pay money and should block the individual as soon as possible,” the RCMP says.

“If you suspect someone is trying to extort money from you, please report it to your local police.”

Children 92% of the victims, says child protection center

Last August, the Canadian Center for Child Protection reported that its Cybertip.ca helpline had been receiving “an unprecedented volume of reports” from young people, and sometimes from their concerned parents, about falling victim to aggressive tactics from ” sextortion”.

The organization said an analysis also found that boys or young men make up 92 percent of victims in online sex extortion reports, with victims reporting Instagram and Snapchat as the most widely used social media platforms for sexual harassment. communication.

“Young people (young men in particular) are often tricked into thinking they are talking to a girl,” the center says on its website.

The perpetrator will either convince the victim to exchange sexual content, or secretly record the victim engaging in a sexual act via a live stream online.

The victim will then be asked to send money or risk having the photos or images shared publicly.

The center says that anyone who finds themselves in a settling situation where they are being extorted should immediately stop talking to the other person and deactivate, but not delete, any accounts they are using to communicate.

“Don't give in to threats. Therefore, never pay money and never send additional nudes,” says the Canadian Center for Child Protection.

The center advises victims to keep a copy of the messages and information about the perpetrator, such as their username and social media account information, and to contact an adult who can help.

Potential perpetrators outside of Canada: RCMP

Ouellette said no one has been arrested in connection with any of the online extortion cases reported to them.

However, doing so would be difficult for the RCMP considering the perpetrators are unlikely to be in Canada, he said.

“At this point, what we believe is that these fraudulent profiles are actually being created by organized crime groups abroad,” Ouellette said.

He says police are “working with our international law enforcement partners around the world to advance these investigations and try to close them.”