OVIEDO, Fla. – The Oviedo Police Department is warning residents about an increase in fake Instagram accounts blackmailing users in ‘sextortion’ attempts.
In a social media post on Saturday, the law enforcement agency said they are seeing the increase in the scam that targets unsuspecting users. The public warning comes as police seek to raise awareness about the fake profiles that lure victims into sharing compromising photographs, and then using these images to extort money.
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“These Instagram impostors often use attractive profile pictures and engage in conversations with users to gain their trust. Once a relationship has been established, the scammers will request or share explicit content, only to later threaten to expose these images to the victims’ friends and family unless they receive a payment. This form of online harassment, known as “sextortion,” can have devastating effects on the lives of those targeted,” the post read in part.
- Oviedo police offers the following steps to help take precautions against what it called malicious activities:
- Be cautious about accepting follow requests or engaging with strangers on social media.
- Keep your profile’s privacy settings restricted to friends and family.
- Never share compromising photographs or personal information with people you do not know well.
- If you suspect an account is fake, report it to Instagram for investigation.
- Remember that even seemingly trustworthy accounts can be compromised or faked.
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According to the post, victims of this scam are encouraged to report the incident to their local law enforcement and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). They should also block and report the offending account on Instagram.
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