Rising cases of sextortion among teenage boys in South Africa

KnowBe4 Africa, a security awareness organisation, has sounded the alarm over the increasing activity of online extortion groups in South Africa, particularly targeting teenage boys.

What is sextortion?

Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where perpetrators threaten to share private information unless those that they target meet their demands, which are typically money or more explicit images.

“Sextortion is a form of organized crime targeting teenagers worldwide that demands greater awareness and preventive measures.”
Anna Collard, content strategist at KnowBe4 Africa

Increasing cases in South Africa

As reported by capetownetc, there has been a significant increase in sextortion around the world. The number of victims in South Africa is rapidly increasing with cybercriminals often targeting teenage boys.

KnowBe4 Africa reported that an increasing number of children and young people have been subjected to financial sextortion attempts over the past few years. Criminals target individuals of all genders and age groups, but typically focus on boys between the ages of 14 and 18.

Collard explained that criminals often target minors because they are more vulnerable and easier to manipulate.

How does sextortion work?

The rise in these crimes is linked to increased social media use, especially among younger people.

Collard explained that cybercriminals pose as peers or love interests online (usually as attractive girls) and target high schools or sports clubs. They then befriend teenage boys using fake social media accounts.

The next step is to convince these boys to share explicit images or videos of themselves on online platforms. Once the scammers have obtained the content, they move on to the next step – extorting or blackmailing the victim.

They demand a sum of money, usually a few thousand rand, in return for not making the videos or images public. This includes not sharing the content with the victim’s family, peers, and friends.

Collard emphasised that sextortion preys on the vulnerabilities of young people and exploits their trust.

The aftermath for victims

The greatest risk of sextortion is not the money but the effects on the victims. Victims often experience a range of adverse emotional experiences, such as shame, fear, and hopelessness. In many cases it leads to suicidal thoughts and in some cases the ultimate step is suicide.

A published paper in the International Journal of Cyber Criminology states that sextortion can have a devastating effect on the victims. Victims often experience severe emotional and psychological effects.