Fraudsters are everywhere and they have no compassion for whom they are targeting or the damage they cause. Their misconduct was once again in the spotlight when a teenager committed suicide after being deceived.
California resident Ryan Last started an online conversation with someone he believed to be a girl. The text messages back and forth continued until after midnight on a weekday. Early in the morning he took his own life.
Read about the tragic events that led to suicide and the ways in which you can protect children from these types of fraud.
Here is the background
He last spent hours on his cell phone chatting online with someone who pretended to be a girl he liked. It quickly became intimate when the scammer sent an explicit photo to the 17-year-old boy and asked for one in return.
Contrary to his best judgment, he sent a compromising photo of himself. As soon as the photo reached the recipient, the fraud began with extortion. The fraudster revealed his identity and immediately demanded $ 50,000. If Last did not pay, the scammer threatened to leak the graphic photo of his friends and family.
The student with rights A negotiated the amount for extortion, and the fraudster eventually agreed to only $ 150. The latter uses money from his college fund to pay the fee, but the fraudster continues to insist even after receiving the payment.
According to CNNHe finally left a death note explaining his deep shame. “He really, really thought at the time that there was no way out if these pictures were really published online. His note showed that he was absolutely terrible. No child should be so scared, “his mother Pauline Stewart told CNN.
What can you do about it
These types of scams with sex extortion are unfortunately common. Law enforcement defines him as blackmailing someone for explicit or compromising photos or videos. Last’s case is being investigated by the FBI.
That’s unthinkable, but last year the FBI investigated more than 18,000 cases of sexual blackmail, in which victims paid more than $ 13 million to fraudsters. A special FBI supervisor told CNN that fraudsters often come from African or Southeast Asian countries.
It can be a challenge to talk to your children about sensitive topics as a parent. It is even more difficult for teenagers to turn to their parents or guardians with an anxiety problem. To reduce the stress that technology can cause, Kim has created a children’s contract that parents can use with their children.
Having a “formal” household policy on what is acceptable and how to communicate any concerns, the contract assures children that parents have the best interest. Tap or click here for more details on this useful security agreement.
Be sure to share this post with family and friends who have children to protect them.
Keep reading
This screen sharing scam can have devastating consequences
3 Immediate Steps You Should Take If You Get Fraudulent
Teenager takes his own life after vicious scam – Talk to your kids now
