DEARBORN CO., Ind. — "Sextortion" cases are on the rise in Dearborn County, according to a social media post made by the county's sheriff's office on Monday.
No specific details were provided regarding individual sextortion cases, only that they have involved teens and children in the Dearborn County community, according to the sheriff's office.
A "significant increase" in these cases have been reported across online platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Discord and Telegram, according to Detective Sergeant Derek Stevens, who works with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
The Dearborn County Sheriff's Office warns that sextortion cases can begin with just a simple friend request. However, the perpetrators behind these cases can use manipulative tactics to get a child's trust online.
"Once an explicit image or video is obtained, the situation can quickly turn into threats and demands. The offender may threaten to send the material to the victim’s friends, family, school, or social media contacts unless the victim sends money or additional images," the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office wrote on social media.
Parents are advised to discuss online safety with their children so incidents like this can be prevented.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has a tip line and helpful resources regarding online exploitation. Click here for more information.
