Men warned to beware online sex scam
MEN in the Bailiwick are being targeted by fraudsters running a blackmail scam on Facebook.
At least three have been duped into sending either explicit images of themselves, or convinced to perform sexual acts via Skype while unaware that the woman at the other end of the internet call was recording them.
'Fake Facebook accounts are created using images of attractive women,' said Guernsey Police high-tech crime investigator PC Sarah Chandler.
'Fraudsters then use the accounts to befriend men in a specific jurisdiction. The individuals involved in this scam will research the jurisdiction they are targeting in an attempt to pass off as a local resident.
'Once contact has been made with the male target, a conversation is instigated to try and make the potential victim at ease, believe they have met previously or are interested in the female romantically.
'The fraudster will flirt with the man before asking if they would be willing to send intimate images to her.
'If this is declined they will suggest a Skype conversation, in which the female fraudster will offer to perform sexual acts herself in exchange for the man doing the same.
'Once intimate images or footage have been captured by the fraudster, they will threaten to post them on YouTube or send to the victim's friends and loved ones unless a sum of money is paid.'
