UPPER MORELAND, Pa. (CBS) — Upper Moreland police want parents to be aware about a social media extortion scam targeting teens.
The Upper Moreland Police Department is investigating at least three incidents in which teen males were contacted on Instagram by someone pretending to be a female. The conversations then moved over to Snapchat — where shared photos disappear — and naked photos were exchanged. The teens were then told to send money or the photos would be distributed to their contact list. The teens sent the money but the photos were distributed anyway.
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“It used to be more prevalent among women being extorted and being used in this way and recently there’s a sudden uptick in juvenile boys,” InfoStream, Inc. CEO Alan Crowetz said.
If you’re wondering why boys are being targeted more and more by online pedophiles and scammers, it’s simple.
“They tend to be more gullible in many ways and once they’re reeled in there’s the fear of exposure and the extorters tend to be able to get more and more from them and just keep dragging them deeper into this horrifying situation,” Crowetz said.
Crowetz shared some tips for parents to be proactive in preventing their kids from becoming prey.
“There’s a couple things. Number once, awareness — what you guys are doing right now — getting the word out there. I don’t think parents realize just how bad…
