The father of Jordan DeMay, a high school athlete who died by suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scam on Instagram, believes the issue is more serious than reported.
The FBI received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion between October 2021 and March 2023.
Jordan was coerced into sending explicit photos and money, leading to tragic consequences.
The #FBI is issuing a warning about an evolving online threat: financially motivated sextortion. This dangerous scheme tricks victims into exchanging sexually explicit material, or believing they already have it. Find data and resources for victims here: https://t.co/VFTwkP6RPf pic.twitter.com/NoLzEktWVN
— FBI (@FBI) January 20, 2024
“It is most alarming to me that it’s allowed to get that far,” father John DeMay said. “And social media companies aren’t doing a whole lot to stop this, apparently, because that’s where it’s happening, and it’s happening a lot.”
“Good,” Lagos native Samuel Ogoshi wrote when the teen threatened to kill himself. “Do that fast. Or I’ll make you do it. I swear to God.”
“Offenders threaten to release that compromising material unless they receive payment, which is often requested in gift cards, mobile payment services, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency,” the FBI stated.
Sextortion often leads to suicide, and the FBI has seen a 20% increase in incidents involving minors.
“These offenders are motivated by financial gain, not necessarily just sexual gratification,” the FBI added.
John DeMay encouraged victims to come forward and save conversations as evidence.
He emphasized the importance of reporting to help authorities identify suspects and build cases.
“That 13,000 is probably only 10% … of the actual reports for a few reasons. First, people don’t really understand that anything could possibly happen because it just seems so unattainable,” DeMay said. “So people, if they’re victimized, they move on from it. They shut it down. They don’t tell anybody because it’s sensitive.”
“The consequences of sextortion are being felt across the country,” FBI Director Christopher Wray stated. “In an effort to protect the American public, the FBI encourages parents, educators, caregivers, and children to learn more about the steps they can take to [FBI] 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20535 – 0001 shield themselves and their loved ones from this crime. We and our partners will relentlessly pursue criminals who perpetuate this deplorable activity.”
“It’s a puzzle,” DeMay said. “I spent some time in law enforcement earlier and … it’s what needs to happen. The FBI isn’t a very large agency, but they’re very effective. And they build cases by cross-referencing data. And sometimes it’s like a puzzle. Sometimes you just need that one other piece to really put the whole center of that puzzle together.”
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