Sexual Extortion Of Minors On The Rise In Maryland: Do You Know How To Keep Kids Safe?

MARYLAND — Online scams involving the sexual extortion of minors are on the rise and the Maryland State Police wants to remind parents of online safety measures they and their kids should take to stay safe.

The Maryland State Police have received numerous reports of minors being contacted by other social media users who begin chatting with them through messaging services such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

Investigators believe online predators give the impression they are romantically interested in the minor in order to gain their trust, the agency said in a news release. As the online chats progress, the suspect will request sexually illicit photographs of the minor and might even send photographs back to the minor in return.

If a minor sends a sexually illicit photograph of themselves to the suspect account, the suspect user will proceed to demand the minor send them money, typically in the form of gift card and prepaid credit card numbers that are readily available at most stores.

The suspect accounts say that if money is not sent, the illicit photographs of the minor will be sent to family, friends and posted online accompanied by distasteful comments about the minor. Investigators have found the suspect accounts typically originate from foreign countries, which significantly limits the ability to formally identify a suspect, the police said.

Authorities urge parents and guardians to talk to and educate their children about the importance of online safety; specifically, these points:

• When contacted by an account you do not know, it is very possible the account does not belong to who they say they are;
• Although an account might seem harmless at first, the nature of a chat can quickly become threatening and intimidating;
• Do not click on unknown links or URLs sent by unknown accounts;
• Do not take illicit photographs of yourself;
• Do not send illicit photographs of yourself online;
• If you are contacted by an unknown account, it is best to ignore the message, report the account to the social media platform and block the account from being able to view your profile.

Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s use of all digital devices. Digital devices include laptops, tablets, desktop computers and smart phones.

Internet Safety Tips for Parents:

• Place computers in a common area of the house and not bedrooms
• Educate yourself about digital devices and the Internet
• Make reasonable rules and set screen time limits
• Reinforce the guiding rule “Don’t talk to strangers”
• Put accounts in your name and know your child’s passwords
• Don’t let your children give out personal information online
• Be aware of other digital devices your child may be using
• Review the use histories or logs of your digital devices to see where your children have been online

Complaints involving the exploitation of children should be filed with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com or 1-800-THE-LOST.