LMPD, FBI warn parents about extortion scheme involving explicit pictures targeting teenage boys

PLANTS HERE IN LOUISVILLE. A WARNING TONIGHT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA SCAMS USING EXPLICIT PHOTOS TO TARGET TEENAGERS. POLICE ARE ASKING TO MONITOR THEIR CHILDREN’S ACCOUNTS AS DETECTIVES WORK. MORE THAN TWO DOZEN CASES INVOLVING TEENAGE BOYS BEING BLACKMAILED. GLADYS BATTISTA EXPLAINS THE SCHEME AND WHY POLICE SAY IT’S IMPORTANT PARENTS START PAYING ATTENTION NOW. POLICE TELL ME THIS SCAM, ALL STARTS WITH CHATTING ON INSTAGRAM, THEN IT MOVES OVER TO SNAPCHAT WHERE SCAMMERS ASK FOR NUDE PICTURES AND THEN THEY DEMAND MONEY. SO MANY PARENTS SAY MY CHILD WOULD NEVER ENGAGE IN THAT. I KNOW MY KID WOULDN’T BE DOING THAT. WELL, WE HAVE OVER 25 VICTIMS HERE LOCALLY WHICH SPEAK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THAT. LMPD AND THE FBI KNOW A SCHEME THAT’S TARGETING DOZENS OF TEENAGE BOYS ACROSS THE METRO UTILIZING POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, INSTAGRAM AND SNAPCHAT. LMPD SAYS SCAMMERS ARE LURING THEIR VICTIMS BY PRETENDING TO BE TEENAGE. THEY’RE ASKING THAT BOYS SEND EXPLICIT PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES. ONCE THE BOYS SEND THESE PHOTOS, THEY EXTORT THEM AND TELL THEM IF THEY DON’T SEND MONEY TO A CASH APP OR PAYMENT IN THE FORM OF GIFT CARDS, THAT THEY’RE GOING TO SEND THESE EXPLICIT IMAGES OUT TO THEIR FRIENDS,…
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