Sextortion: FBI sees concerning increase in cases targeting teenage boys

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – In just a matter of months, the FBI saw a staggering increase in sextortion cases nationwide. Most recently, agents found criminals are targeting teenage males, but no one is exempt.

Even worse, FBI Supervisory Special Agent Charles Wilkes says victims are taking their own lives before law enforcement has a chance to step in.

“Anybody can become a victim of sextortion,” Wilkes said. “Sadly, we have identified approximately 20 suicides that have resulted from kids that are just in despair from becoming victims of sextortion. It’s a really sad subject.”

Sextortion happens when a person sends a nude or compromising photo of themselves to someone. Typically, it’s a person they met online and it’s then used to exploit or blackmail a victim. Most recently, the FBI says it’s targeting boys 14 to 17 years old.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, between 2021 and 2023 the number of online enticement reports increased by 323%.

Investigator Donnie Manry has worked with victims firsthand. He says the damage one photo can do can be hard for many to comprehend. Especially, teens.

“The internet [is like] firing a gun. Once that bullet is going, it’s gone. There’s no getting it back,” Manry said. “People don’t think about where these images go and where they’re stored.”

Criminals will use the photos to blackmail a victim into paying or sending more. The Internet Watch Foundation found more reports of sextortion in the first half of 2023 than in the whole of 2022

Some recent, and even high-profile, incidents revealed some victims didn’t even have to send a photo to be blackmailed with one.

AI-altered photos are the newest way people are being victimized.

“Taylor Swift, that’s exactly what’s happening,” Manry said.

In January, explicit AI-generated photos of Taylor Swift flew through social media. Manry says when he first heard the photos of Swift were circulating, he was anything but shocked.

Manry says this is common in cases involving pornography or compromising photos. These pictures can sit on the dark web for years before they are discovered. This is what he says happened with Taylor Swift.

“AI is the newest, greatest thing and everybody’s going to play with it. And unfortunately, most will be in an improper way,” he said.

Staying anonymous and untraceable on the dark web also allows people to get away with posting and altering pictures.

Even before AI, the FBI said these cases can be hard to investigate. Sometimes, leading agents across the world.

“Using our FBI’s Internal Operation Division, the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs and our local offices work to get local [law enforcement] to arrest these individuals and investigate these individuals and even extradite them,” Wilkes said.

With the most recently targeted group, the FBI says parents can help cut down on the number of cases happening with some oversight.

“Parents need to be involved. You need to know what social media platforms your kids are using,” Wilkes said. “We in the Bureau call it cyber hygiene, make sure you use strong passwords, make sure your privacy settings are appropriately set, and most importantly, be cautious of individuals that you don’t know and becoming friends with them.”

Even though more incidents are being reported to the FBI, Wilkes says they estimate the actual number of sextortion victims is significantly higher. This can be due to victims feeling shame and embarrassment, fearing the offender, or being concerned they might get into trouble themselves.

The Department of Homeland Security created a resource helpful for teens to identify potential victimization.

The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children has resources helpful for removing unwanted photos from the internet. Reports can also be made at gethelp@ncmec.org or you can call us at 1-800-THE-LOST.

Reports can be made to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.