Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic we are seeing a rise in the number of people targeted by both sexualised phishing emails and crimes of sextortion. The number of sextortion incidents reported to us have approximately tripled in the last year to date.
As people comply with the Government’s lockdown measures and stay at home they are adapting their behaviour and spending more time online for education, work, shopping, and socialising.
Alongside this, the criminal network are aiming to take advantage of those online and the errors in judgement that people sometime make.
Phishing is one of the most common methods used in cyber criminality. Unsolicited phishing emails aim to encourage you to click on links and share sensitive information or open attachments which often contain ransomware to encrypt files.Sexualised phishing emails specifically try to convince you that your computer has been compromised by listing technical details, and suggesting you have been recorded when visiting adult content websites.
Often criminals will list a password they have obtained via an historic data breach to try to put some legitimacy into their claim, or will attach a document claiming to be “proof”. This is all in an attempt to scare the victim into paying money, where the sender has no such recordings and attachments are malicious software.
Sextortion predominately targets those using their devices to find romance online, or who are online dating. It involves using webcams and cameras to send intimate pictures or videos. People online are not always who they say there are and often criminals will use online applications to befriend people using fake identities to pretend to be someone else (sometimes very convincingly), and will encourage them to send intimate pictures or perform sexual acts on a web cam.
Sexual acts carried out are recorded or saved by the criminals, who then threaten to share the content with friends and family unless a payment is made. This can be extremely embarrassing and upsetting for those tricked into sharing such private acts.
With more time online comes more risk, and the Wiltshire Police Digital Investigations and Intelligence Unit (DIIU) is appealing to the public to think before they share online.
Detective Inspector Gemma Vinton tells us “Many people enjoy the social side of the internet and it can be a great place to talk and interact with others. We do, however, all need to be aware that not everyone on the internet is who they say they are, and there are people out there whose only reason to be online is to cause harm to others.
“We have seen an increase in sexualised phishing e-mails, and would urge people not to worry about this, but to forward the e-mail to the suspicious email reporting service run by the National Cyber Security Centre”.
Sexualised phishing emails can be reported to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) report@phishing.gov.uk.
DI Vinton continues “We have also seen an increase in the serious and distressing crime of sextortion. This could happen to anyone, but those predominantly targeted tend to be younger men aged between 17 and 25, and men over the age of 60.
“I would urge the public to stop and think before sharing intimate photos or videos, or taking part in intimate activities online. Please be aware that the person you are communicating with may not be who they say they are, and don’t let the heat of the moment cause you to make rash decisions to take part in activities that could lead you susceptible to blackmail attempts.
“However if you do become a victim of sextortion, please do not panic, do not pay, do not communicate any further, and report it to the police. We appreciate that it can be embarrassing, but these criminals will look to exploit others, and it’s important that we do everything we can to identify and stop them to prevent other people falling victim to their crime.”
Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon said “Sextortion is a horrible crime which can have long lasting financial and emotional impact on the victims. No matter how embarrassing it may seem if you have fallen victim to one of these crimes, Wiltshire Police are here to investigate, but can only do so if you report it.
“Our victims support unit Horizon will be able to help at this most difficult time, offering support where appropriate, and signposting to the most suitable support agencies”
Further help and support for victims of sextortion is available from the National Crime Agency. https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/kidnap-and-extortion/sextortion-webcam-blackmail
For more information and advice on how to protect yourself against cybercrime visit the Wiltshire Police website https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/article/6081/Sexualised-Phishing-and-Sextortion
