Nearly 200 cases of sextortion reported in 2024: WRPS

Disturbing numbers released from Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) shows an increase in sextortion-related crimes, prompting the force to ask the community to take preventative safety measures.

It comes as data shows over 700 incidents have been reported since 2020 in the region, with 198 coming in last year alone. Of those nearly 200 cases, 42 are said to have involved victims under the age of 18.

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail in which someone threatens to send sexual images or video of a person to other people if the victim doesn’t pay money or provide additional sexual content.

Officers have said that, in most cases, they’re tricked into believing they’re chatting with a potential romantic partner, convincing the victim to send over sexual photos or videos. More recently, with the growth of artificial intelligence, some scenarios also involve photos being ripped directly off of social media and altered into sexual images.

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

How to help prevent sextortion:

• Use strong passwords for online accounts.
• Avoid putting personal information in your social media bios.
• Only accept friend requests or follows from people you know.
• If you are targeted, immediately stop the conversation.
  • Screenshot the messages.
  • Delete/block the sextorter.
  • Never send money or additional content – this will only make the harassment worse.
• For parents/guardians of youth:
  • Understand the platforms your child is using to communicate, and how they work.
  • Help your child set up their privacy settings on social media apps.
  • Know the friends your child is talking to online. Ask if they have met before in person, or only online.
  • Have an open line of communication with them, so that they feel comfortable asking for help.

WRPS is asking that anyone who has been a victim of sectortion to please report the incident by calling 519-570-9777.

More information about sextortion and other online harms that could potentially target children can be found on the Canadian Centre for Child Protection website or at cybertip.ca.