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''Sex Crimes
February 7, 2023
The Toronto Police Service, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), Australian Federal Police (Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation [ACCCE]), Canadian Centre for Child Protection, FBI, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (RCMP), New Zealand Police, the Virtual Global Taskforce, the UK's National Crime Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are issuing a joint warning about a global financial sextortion crisis.
Our agencies have seen a major increase in financial extortion, where minor boys around the world are being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money. On average, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection receives 200 sextortion reports per month through Cybertip.ca, with 87 per cent of sextortion incidents reported affecting boys.
Today, on Safer Internet Day, we are urging youth and caregivers to educate themselves about this crime and help us protect others from being victimized.
Financial sextortion can happen anywhere, although it mainly occurs on digital platforms where children are spending their screen time. Anyone can be victimized through their phones, gaming consoles and computers by way of social media, gaming websites or video chat. On these platforms, predators often pose as girls of a similar age and use fake accounts to target young boys, deceiving them into sending explicit photos or videos. The predator then threatens to release the compromising materials unless the victim sends payment, however in many cases, the predator will release the images anyway.
Youth can be targeted in their own homes, their classrooms, and in other public places. This serves as a good reminder to practice online safety by applying privacy and security settings within social media accounts and to not add or follow people unknown to you.
Even though financial sextortion is committed virtually, it can have serious impacts offline. After the threats and aggression, victims may feel alone, ashamed, scared, and these feelings can lead to self harm. Law enforcement around the world wants victims to know they are not in trouble, they are not alone, and there is life after pictures.
What to do if you are being financially sextorted:
“Online sexual offences do not have any borders, and through our Internet Child Exploitation (I.C.E) Unit the Toronto Police Service is proud to join our Canadian and international law enforcement partners in this important prevention campaign. Our I.C.E unit works tirelessly to protect children and youth from internet child exploitation, including financial sextortion and to bring those responsible to justice. We all have a role to play in protecting our children and youth and partnerships like this will ensure we are raising awareness and effectively sharing prevention information around these harmful crimes, not just locally but around the world.”
Chief Myron Demkiw
Police Chief, Toronto Police Service
"Protecting our youth from financial sextortion is of paramount importance. The impact on these vulnerable victims is devastating and may result in psychological trauma and serious mental health issues. The RCMP is committed to working with our domestic and international partners to investigate this crime, as well as develop public awareness and prevention campaigns to remove the stigma associated with this online crime and to advocate for victims, ensuring there is life after images."
Brenda Lucki
Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
“The RCMP is pleased to be working with international law enforcement partners to help to ensure young people are protected online. These crimes are real, they have serious implications, and young people need to understand that police are there to support them. These offenders prey on young people and this is not acceptable. International police are united in our fight against these crimes.”
Gord Sage,
Chief Superintendent, Sensitive and Specialized Investigative Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
“International cooperation has never been more important in tackling the threat of online child sexual abuse. The strength of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) comes from being able to share expertise and take rapid coordinated action against emerging global trends such as the rising threat of financial extortion. As chair, I am determined to maximise every opportunity afforded by the VGT to help us to continue to bear down on the threat, protect children and target offenders. Whilst we are committed to doing everything we can, the most important reminder of Safer Internet Day is to continue having open conversations about online safety within our communities and especially with the young people in our lives. Thankfully there is an arsenal of preventative tools available globally to support caregivers, professionals and young people such as the Safer Internet Day activities, and the CEOP Education website in the UK.”
Robert Jones,
Chair,Virtual Global Taskforce
“We understand how young victims of this crime can feel like there’s no way out, but we want them to know that they’re not alone. In the past year, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has received more than 10,000 sextortion-related reports. Please talk to your children about what to do if they (or their friends) are targeted online. NCMEC has free resources to help them navigate an overwhelming and scary situation.”
Michelle DeLaune
CEO, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
"Financial sextortion has a far wider impact than just our country and our kids—it is a global crisis that demands everyone's attention. The FBI is working hand-in-hand with our international partners to prevent children from becoming victims of this tragic crime. We all have a duty to support and empower victims to come forward and show them that there is life after images."
Christopher Wray
Director, FBI
Links to Canadian Resources:
February 7, 2023
The Toronto Police Service, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), Australian Federal Police (Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation [ACCCE]), Canadian Centre for Child Protection, FBI, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, National Child Exploitation Crime Centre (RCMP), New Zealand Police, the Virtual Global Taskforce, the UK's National Crime Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are issuing a joint warning about a global financial sextortion crisis.
Our agencies have seen a major increase in financial extortion, where minor boys around the world are being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money. On average, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection receives 200 sextortion reports per month through Cybertip.ca, with 87 per cent of sextortion incidents reported affecting boys.
Today, on Safer Internet Day, we are urging youth and caregivers to educate themselves about this crime and help us protect others from being victimized.
Financial sextortion can happen anywhere, although it mainly occurs on digital platforms where children are spending their screen time. Anyone can be victimized through their phones, gaming consoles and computers by way of social media, gaming websites or video chat. On these platforms, predators often pose as girls of a similar age and use fake accounts to target young boys, deceiving them into sending explicit photos or videos. The predator then threatens to release the compromising materials unless the victim sends payment, however in many cases, the predator will release the images anyway.
Youth can be targeted in their own homes, their classrooms, and in other public places. This serves as a good reminder to practice online safety by applying privacy and security settings within social media accounts and to not add or follow people unknown to you.
Even though financial sextortion is committed virtually, it can have serious impacts offline. After the threats and aggression, victims may feel alone, ashamed, scared, and these feelings can lead to self harm. Law enforcement around the world wants victims to know they are not in trouble, they are not alone, and there is life after pictures.
What to do if you are being financially sextorted:
- Remember, the predator is to blame, not you or your child.
- Stop all communication with the offender.
- Do not delete your social media account, messages, or images because these can help law enforcement.
- Save a copy of any images you sent, and take screenshots of the messages and the person’s profile including username.
- Get help before sending money or more images. Cooperating rarely stops the blackmail and harassment, but police can.
- According to an open source analysis by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, of 6,500 first-hand accounts shared publicly on a popular victim support forum, complying with an extorter’s demands generally leads to frequent future demands.
- Trust your instincts, practice caution when communicating online.
- Reach out to a trusted adult, and report what happened through cybertip.ca or to your local police. It is important to know that you will not be in trouble with police and that you are not the one to blame in this situation. By reporting, you can help to keep other youth safer as well.
- Trust that there is life after images.
- The offender might make you feel like your life is over or ruined, but you are not alone and life will go on after these threats. These offenders are smart, but law enforcement is working together to combat these crimes.
“Online sexual offences do not have any borders, and through our Internet Child Exploitation (I.C.E) Unit the Toronto Police Service is proud to join our Canadian and international law enforcement partners in this important prevention campaign. Our I.C.E unit works tirelessly to protect children and youth from internet child exploitation, including financial sextortion and to bring those responsible to justice. We all have a role to play in protecting our children and youth and partnerships like this will ensure we are raising awareness and effectively sharing prevention information around these harmful crimes, not just locally but around the world.”
Chief Myron Demkiw
Police Chief, Toronto Police Service
"Protecting our youth from financial sextortion is of paramount importance. The impact on these vulnerable victims is devastating and may result in psychological trauma and serious mental health issues. The RCMP is committed to working with our domestic and international partners to investigate this crime, as well as develop public awareness and prevention campaigns to remove the stigma associated with this online crime and to advocate for victims, ensuring there is life after images."
Brenda Lucki
Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
“The RCMP is pleased to be working with international law enforcement partners to help to ensure young people are protected online. These crimes are real, they have serious implications, and young people need to understand that police are there to support them. These offenders prey on young people and this is not acceptable. International police are united in our fight against these crimes.”
Gord Sage,
Chief Superintendent, Sensitive and Specialized Investigative Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police:
“International cooperation has never been more important in tackling the threat of online child sexual abuse. The strength of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) comes from being able to share expertise and take rapid coordinated action against emerging global trends such as the rising threat of financial extortion. As chair, I am determined to maximise every opportunity afforded by the VGT to help us to continue to bear down on the threat, protect children and target offenders. Whilst we are committed to doing everything we can, the most important reminder of Safer Internet Day is to continue having open conversations about online safety within our communities and especially with the young people in our lives. Thankfully there is an arsenal of preventative tools available globally to support caregivers, professionals and young people such as the Safer Internet Day activities, and the CEOP Education website in the UK.”
Robert Jones,
Chair,Virtual Global Taskforce
“We understand how young victims of this crime can feel like there’s no way out, but we want them to know that they’re not alone. In the past year, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has received more than 10,000 sextortion-related reports. Please talk to your children about what to do if they (or their friends) are targeted online. NCMEC has free resources to help them navigate an overwhelming and scary situation.”
Michelle DeLaune
CEO, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
"Financial sextortion has a far wider impact than just our country and our kids—it is a global crisis that demands everyone's attention. The FBI is working hand-in-hand with our international partners to prevent children from becoming victims of this tragic crime. We all have a duty to support and empower victims to come forward and show them that there is life after images."
Christopher Wray
Director, FBI
Links to Canadian Resources:
