Sexting scam targets teen boys in Maidstone area: RCMP

The RCMP in Maidstone is sounding the alarm about “sexting” scammers who are targeting young men and teen boys.

According to police, the scammers use texts to entice their victims to send nude photos of themselves, then blackmail the victims by threatening to share the photos with their contacts if they don’t pay up.

“From October to December 2022, Maidstone RCMP received multiple reports of people being victimized in sexting scams,” the RCMP wrote in a statement.

“Maidstone RCMP is warning the public of the inherent risks of sending private or sensitive images online as the actual recipient may not always be the only one who will receive or view this content.”

Police advised everyone to stay vigilant when they get unsolicited texts and never provide personal information to a stranger. If they request money, police said the best move is to refuse and contact police to make a report.

Anyone who believes they have been contacted by a scammer was encouraged to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, even if no money was lost.