Local Woman Targeted in Social Media Extortion Attempt
An 18-year-old local woman was the victim of an attempted extortion scheme after sharing an image through social media, the Trail RCMP reported this week.
On Sunday afternoon, police received a report that the woman had sent an image to someone on a social media platform, only to realise she had made a mistake about the recipient's identity.
Fortunately, she had used a platform with features to restrict redistribution of the image. However, the recipient demanded additional images and threatened to share the original with her friends if she did not comply.
The woman immediately ceased communication with the individual and contacted the Trail RCMP for assistance. A responding officer instructed her to block the person on social media and provided advice on internet safety and precautions.
"This kind of thing can happen to anyone nowadays," said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich. "Please use extreme caution before sharing images, as they may live on forever if you send them to the wrong person."
The RCMP encourages the public to be mindful of online safety and to exercise caution when sharing personal images or information.