Police record thousands of cases of "sextortion"
The German state criminal investigation offices are expecting numerous cases of blackmail involving nude images or sex videos this year. Thousands of people have already been blackmailed in 2022. However, the actual number is likely to be much higher. Many victims probably don't report to the police out of shame.
According to the police, thousands of people in Germany have been blackmailed with nude pictures or intimate videos. This was the result of a survey conducted by Deutsche Presse-Agentur among the state criminal investigation offices. According to the survey, there were well over 2000 recorded cases in Germany in 2022. The police in North Rhine-Westphalia alone spoke of 785 recorded acts that were classified as "blackmail on a sexual basis" via the internet. According to the LKA, there were 109 cases in Lower Saxony, 119 in Saxony-Anhalt, 308 in Baden-Württemberg and 19 in Saarland. According to initial estimates, there are no signs of a trend reversal in 2023.
The scam is not new. For example, criminals use video chats to get victims to undress in front of a webcam and perform sexual acts or send intimate pictures of themselves. According to the police, they then threaten to publish the images or videos on the internet and demand money. Blackmail on a sexual basis is also known as sextortion.
Nationwide figures are not available. Such data is not collected in all federal states. In some states, such as Bremen and Saxony, there was an increase within one year in 2022, whereas in Saarland and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania there was a decrease. In most cases, no data is yet available for the year that is coming to an end. The State Criminal Police Office (LKA) in Saxony-Anhalt reported 167 cases by mid-November, while the LKA in Saxony reported 565. The police in Lower Saxony recorded an increase in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year.
High number of unreported cases
Some state criminal investigation offices assume that the number of unreported cases is high. The LKA in Schleswig-Holstein said: "This figure is likely to be high, as it can be assumed that many victims refrain from making a report simply out of shame." According to the Saarland LKA, perpetrators come from countries outside the EU. "One indication of this is, for example, that the conversation is conducted in English and the money claims are to be transferred to credit institutions in non-EU countries." Against this backdrop, the Bremen police referred to difficult investigations and a low detection rate.
In Saxony alone, losses totaling more than 131,000 euros have already been incurred this year up to mid-November. In Schleswig-Holstein, the total was 5300 euros in 2022. The police advise victims not to transfer money in the event of blackmail, as the blackmail usually does not stop after payment. Instead, a complaint should be made. In addition, people should not agree to video chats too hastily and should keep their virus protection programs up to date. There is also malware that can activate the webcam without the victim noticing.
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The international community must collaborate to combat the rising trend of cybercrimes, such as sextortion, as cases of blackmail involving nude images or sex videos extend beyond national borders. Despite the Police's record of thousands of sextortion cases in Germany, many victims remain silent due to shame, leading to an unexplored number of unreported cases.
Source: www.ntv.de
