Surge in Sextortion Targets British Teenage Boys: NCA Issues Warning

British teenage boys are being targeted by Nigerian sextortion gangs on social media, with 90% of sextortion victims being boys aged 14 to 17. The criminals blackmail victims into sending explicit images and demand payments to avoid public exposure. The NCA has launched a campaign to raise awareness and suggest that victims remain calm and seek assistance. This follows alarming statistics indicating rising rates of child sexual abuse.

British teenage boys are increasingly becoming victims of blackmail orchestrated by Nigerian crime gangs, which pose as young women online. According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), these criminals exploit platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, targeting boys as young as 14. They often trick their victims into sending explicit images with the promise of reciprocation, subsequently demanding approximately £100 to avoid the sharing of these compromising photos. Notably, though females make up most victims of child sexual exploitation, 90% of sextortion victims are boys aged 14 to 17.

The gangs threaten to release explicit content to the victims’ parents, friends, and schools if payment is not made. Beyond those in Nigeria, the NCA has also identified perpetrators from the Ivory Coast and the Philippines. Marie Smith, a senior manager at the NCA’s child exploitation and online protection command, emphasized the severe nature of this abuse and highlighted that these offenders predominantly hail from West African countries. They adopt fake profiles of young women to entice boys into providing indecent images, immediately applying pressure for payment once in possession of the material.

While teenagers are primarily targeted, adults up to the age of 30 have also been victimized. In some tragic instances, the fear of exposure has driven victims to take their own lives. In response, the NCA has initiated an awareness campaign urging individuals to remain calm and refrain from paying the extortionists. Marie Smith advised, “Do not pay – stay calm. We can help. If you pay once, they will just demand more.”

The NCA is collaborating with law enforcement in Nigeria to dismantle these criminal networks. Smith stated, “We’re working internationally with our Nigerian counterparts, which is where we’re seeing most of this abuse happening.” The campaign, which launched on Thursday, aims to educate boys aged 15 to 17 about sextortion techniques using social media channels such as Instagram and Snapchat, and to instruct them on how to report these incidents safely.

Alex Murray, NCA director of threat leadership, characterized sextortion as “unimaginably cruel,” pointing out the severe repercussions for victims. Through this campaign, the NCA seeks to empower young boys by providing knowledge on recognizing potential dangers and emphasizing that they are not at fault if victimized. Research conducted by the NCA highlighted alarming gaps in awareness; 74% of boys surveyed did not fully grasp what sextortion entails, while nearly three-quarters could not identify requests for nude images as warning signs.

In 2024 alone, the NCA’s CEOP safety center recorded 380 reports of sextortion. Concurrently, the UK police noted an average of 117 reports monthly involving individuals under the age of 18. The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States reported over 28,000 sextortion cases globally in 2024, marking an increase from the previous year. The NCA’s campaign also includes resources for parents and caregivers to help them recognize sextortion and support their children.

This campaign follows an earlier alert aimed at UK teachers, which reached a significant number of educators. Many reported feeling better prepared to recognize and address sextortion incidents. Moreover, the campaign emerges as a response to the concerning rise in child sexual abuse, with statistics indicating nearly 40,000 offenses committed by minors in 2023, underlining the urgent need for action against this issue.

The rise of sextortion cases among British teenage boys, driven by Nigerian crime gangs, presents a critical issue that necessitates awareness and preventive measures. The National Crime Agency’s campaign aims to educate and protect vulnerable youths while collaborating with international law enforcement to dismantle these exploitative networks. It is imperative for victims to understand that such exploitation is not their fault and that help is available.

Original Source: www.irishnews.com