(NORFOLK COUNTY, ON) - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Norfolk County Detachment is warning, and reminding, the public to be extremely careful when sharing images and videos over the internet after a report of an extortion at a Norfolk County address.
On Friday, September 7, 2018 at 7:09 p.m., OPP were contacted by a concerned resident reporting an extortion.
Through the course of investigation, it was determined that a male met a female online and both began to correspond. During the course of conversing, the female began to engage in sexually explicit acts and asked for explicit photographs and videos of the male which were sent. A demand for approximately $10,000 was then made by the female in order for the photographs and video not to be distributed to the victim's family along with all of his social media contacts and various social media websites. No funds were sent and police were immediately contacted.
Police are warning all computer users to beware. We live in a connected world where it's easy to feel as if our far-away friends are right next door. Having a face-to-face conversation with someone is gaining in popularity and everyone needs to be vigilant when engaging in on-line video chats.
Video chatting allows you to see and hear whom you're talking to. All you need is a webcam and a computer with an Internet connection. You log into your IM or social network and enable the video chatting. You can't be anonymous with video chatting.
Video chatting allows you to see and hear whom you're talking to. All you need is a webcam and a computer with an Internet connection. You log into your IM or social network and enable the video chatting. You can't be anonymous with video chatting.
The fact that your face is right there for all to see, but it's not just your face that's on show. Anything else can be, too. That means that some behavior -- and some body parts -- that you don't want to exhibit could end up on display.
The screen only lets you see what the other person wants you to see. Another danger is that anyone can take a live video. This means that they can permanently have a video of you.
"Police are urging all computer users to be aware of the dangers of engaging in online web chats where explicit conversations and photographs are shared. Once it's out there, you can't get it back." - Inspector Joseph Varga, Detachment Commander, Norfolk County OPP.
Anyone with information regarding this incident should immediately contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1 - 888 - 310 - 1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1 - 800 - 222 - 8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous online message at www.helpsolvecrime.com where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2000.