Scammers are targeting area men with a blackmail plot that begins with a hot young woman becoming your new Facebook friend and ends with X-rated images of you shown to all of your friends.
According to Bridgeville Police, the scheme starts when you receive a Facebook friend request from what appears to be an unknown, but rather attractive, female. Usually, she’s not wearing much in her profile photo.
(Of course, these are bogus Facebook accounts and the women pictured are not the people actually interacting with the victims).
After a rapport is established the conversation turns sexual in nature. You will then receive naked pictures of this female. (Keep in mind, it’s probably not her, and it’s more than likely a “stealth” fb account). After you receive several pictures, you will be requested to send pictures and/or a video of yourself involved in a rather provocative/personal/intimate activity.
Once the female receives the video, she will demand money sent to her via Western Union. She will threaten to share the video on your timeline and also “tag” you in it so that it will be viewed by all if your friends and family. The popular request is for $5,000. In some cases the victim has negotiated it down to $400.
In one instance the video was entitled: “insert name” does this while looking at children.
One victim had to deactivate his Facebook account after a video of him was posted repeatedly on the site.
In each case, police say, the blackmailer did not live in the U.S.