Blackmail is a crime as old as time itself and modern technology has helped it \u2014 like so many other things \u2014 explode. Criminals relieve their victims of money in a great variety of ways, but hacking communications such as text messages and webcams brings ruthless efficiency to a highly personal type of crime called sextortion<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Sextortion, or sexual blackmail, consists of a threat to reveal intimate information about a victim unless the victim pays money to the extorter. In this connected, digital age, the information might include snippets of sexual text messages (sexts), intimate photos, even videos. The crooks typically demand money, but sometimes they\u2019re after more compromising material \u2014 send more or I\u2019ll expose you.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the most interesting thing about sextortion is that the vast majority of victims are teenagers \u2014 not a demographic known for having a lot of money to throw around. But teens sadly\u00a0make excellent victims for sextortion.<\/p>\n
The teenage years are a time for figuring out how to find and cultivate new kinds of relationships \u2014 and generally without a reliable road map. Teens are also beginning to forge their own paths and question authority, but they have yet to fully develop an adult\u2019s understanding of consequences.<\/p>\n
The result can be a cybercriminal\u2019s dream: information that should be kept extremely secure isn\u2019t and\u00a0people who are emotionally vulnerable can be easily shamed. Perhaps that is why an estimated 70% of the victims are teenagers with the majority of those being female.<\/p>\n
\nSecuring intimate activities: Don\u2019t let your spicy stories leak online \u2013 https:\/\/t.co\/He4AOM43ur<\/a> #privacy<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/s9xz7k1fdS<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Kaspersky (@kaspersky) September 3, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n