An area law enforcement agency has issued a warning about a rising threat to children and teenagers.
It’s called sextortion, and Pike County Chief Deputy Sheriff Zack Orr is urging parents, guardians and educators to take steps to protect children from a rising wave of online sextortion cases impacting minors across the country.
Orr says sextortion occurs with an offender coerces a child into sharing explicit photos or videos and then threatens to expose them unless the child provides more content, money or continued contact.
These offenders disguise themselves as teens themselves, using fake accounts, stolen photos or anonymous profiles to lure minors into private communications.
Deputy Orr says parents should monitor their child’s online activity and watch for warning signs, such as sudden secrecy about online interactions and use of apps with disappearing messages.
For more information on sextortion, you can visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website or contact your local law enforcement agency.