Waterloo Regional Police Service reporting increase in ‘sextortion’ cases

An Ontario teenager is facing nearly 30 charges after police say he made over a dozen phone calls alleging threats of violence to schools, businesses, homes and even specific people. (Jenny Kane/The Canadian Press)

A form of sexually explicit blackmail is on the rise in Waterloo Region.

‘Sextortion’ occurs when someone threatens to send a sexual image or video of a victim to other people if the victim does not pay them or give them more sexual content.

Last year alone, Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officers investigated 198 cases of the crime. They said 42 of those incidents involved children under the age of 18.

Since 2020, WRPS has received more than 700 reports of sextortion attempts.

“Sextortion crimes have devastating impacts on victims,” WRPS Staff Sergeant Michael Krisko said in a news release. “Education is a vital tool in preventing these incidents. It empowers individuals to recognize the warning signs and seek help.”

Victims are usually contacted by someone posing as a potential romantic partner who convinces them to send sexual photos or videos. Suspects sometimes take pictures from the victim’s social media profile and edit them to appear to be explicit. They then ask for money or sexual content from their victims and threaten to leak the content if their demands aren’t met.

Police encourage anyone who thinks they are being targeted by a sextortion attempt to screenshot messages and delete or block the suspect. They also urge potential victims to never send money or additional content.