People of Cheshire warned about blackmail cases
Police have issued a warning
People in Cheshire are being urged by the police to be aware of the growing threat of online blackmail.
This warning comes following recent reports of people targeting victims through social media, messaging apps and online gaming profiles.
PC Jim Day, Financial Abuse Safeguarding and Prevention Officer with the Cheshire Police Economic Crime Unit, said:
"Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way they target victims online and as we all now spend a lot of time online, it’s important to understand the ways in which criminals do this, so these offences can be reported.
“They often create fake profiles, pretending to be someone they are not, and build trust very quickly before manipulating victims into sharing images or personal information.
“Once they have these images or information, criminals will then blackmail the victim into complying with their demands by threatening to share the images and information with others.
“The most important thing to understand if this happens to you, is that it is not your fault. This can happen to anyone, and criminals use these tactics to purposefully take advantage of someone. Remember, online blackmail is a crime.
“These offenders also rely on fear, embarrassment and panic. Victims should never feel ashamed to seek help and support.
“You can report incidents of this nature to Cheshire Police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency, or you can report online via cheshire.police.uk/tell-us.
“We would also encourage parents, carers and guardians to speak to children and young people about the importance of online safety, privacy settings on social media, and the dangers of accepting friend or message requests from someone they do not know.”