HSI & FBI: Financial ‘sextortion’ schemes targeting minors climbs, primarily teen boys

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Sextortion is a growing crisis and new numbers from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security shows just how serious the numbers are. In 2022, there were 7,000 reports related to the online financial sextortion of minors and at least 3,000 victims. So, what’s being done to ensure perpetrators face justice?

Screen time for Amanda McDougald Scott and 6-year-old Polk is a part of learning arithmetic.

“He wasn’t allowed to have screens at all until he was two,” McDougald Scott said.

It’s a valuable education tool for son and for now his mom wants to keep the parameters focused on learning.

“I think it’s responsible parenting to think about what are the pros and cons of internet use and social media use,” she said.

Part of the concern for McDougald Scott are the 3,000 children, primarily boys, who were victims of online financial sextortion, last year.

“There’s so many stigmas that are attached to anything that’s sexual in nature,” she said.

Officials say the predators use fake female accounts and threaten to release compromising material unless the victim sends money or gift cards. In many cases, the images are released anyway, and have resulted in more than a dozen suicides. Meanwhile, officials believe the number of targets is underreported.

“We’ve got to overcome that shame because if somebody is a victim of a crime and there’s a perpetrator out there they’re just going to do it to other people,” McDougald Scott said. “So, it’s not just about you and it’s not just about your child. It’s about protecting the community at large.”

Retired Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) special agent Paul Graf has four decades of experience in child abuse and sexual assault investigations, and says all parents should have an “age appropriate” plan.

“It is a constant and candid discussion with your children as they age and understand more about the world, to talk with your children about the way bad people – nefarious actors approach children,” Graf said. “What they might say, what you should say, what they might do, what you should do.”

Both Graf and federal officials encourage to the public to report incidents and suspicious activity to authorities. Also, do not delete the predators profile and messages, both could be helpful to law enforcement to identify and stop them.

“I am certain there are victims who have not reported to their parents let alone law enforcement,” Graf said. “Certainly the attempts by bad actors to influence your children will undoubtedly increase.”

The South Carolina House is going a step further. House bill 3583 was referred to the judiciary committee Dec. 15. It would make “sexual extortion” and “aggravated sexual extortion” a felony and carry a prison sentence up to 30 years if the victim is a child or vulnerable adult. The bill also includes penalties for children found guilty of sexual extortion. A child could face a misdemeanor and upon conviction be imprisoned for up to three years.

If someone you know is being exploited call 1-800-CALL-FBI or report it, here: https://tips.fbi.gov/

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