TBI explains sextortion and how to deal with it

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Social media comes with a lot of worries for parents. One of those is sextortion which primarily comes from social media.

Kevin Starr a Special Agent for TBI said, “Somebody will add this account and will have a conversation for a little while, then it will turn into a sexual nature. Then they are demanding money, and more videos, more content. The moment you send a nude photo of yourself, you’ve lost control of the situation.”

How does the TBI identify these cases?

“A male or female child victim and then an account opposing as the opposite sex. Typically they are from another country,” said Starr.

Not only can the cost be financial and embarrassing, it can be life taking.

“There are national cases where the pressure has mounted down on children. There’s cases out there where children have ended up committing suicide once the demands continue and increase and they feel trapped,” said Starr.

What should you do if you find yourself in this position?

Starr said, “The first step is telling somebody. Get that to authorities. If they are a minor, NCMIC is a great resource and has a lot of great resources for children and families that have experienced this.”

Parents can help keep this from happening and so can teens.

“Rule number one is snapchat is never good for minors. If you do allow your child on social media, really monitor what your child is on. Make sure you have access to it and see it.” Starr said, “A good rule of thumb for children too is if a random account adds you and you have no mutual friends, they don’t go to your school. It looks like this person you might find attractive, but nobody knows who they are and you’ve never seen them before, it’s very likely they’re not real.”

If you become a victim of sextortion tell authorities immediately.