RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS News) - That was Detective Austin Wortman with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office. The nationwide uptick in “sextortion” cases began in 2018 and continues to grow larger in communities of every size.
Locally, Detective Wortman described how the crime usually begins...
On average, it appears that most of the predators target young males who are 17 or younger. Once the scammer befriends the targeted teenager, they build rapport by engaging in conversation.
Making the situation feel authentic and perhaps giving a false sense of security, the online con artist - who is usually an adult living in a foreign country - has already spent time friending and liking other acquaintances of the local school student on social media. Those conversations between the teen victim and the person masquerading as a teenage girl or boy often escalate quickly...
We asked Detective Jeremy Murdock with the Sheriff's Office, “If the targeted victim is under the age of 18, how do they have funds to pay the suspect?” Murdock responded...
Detective Wortman told WGNS these predators are skilled at what they do and will go to great lengths to gather all the information they can about their potential target...
Murdock plainly pointed out how the majority of sextortion schemes operate... And while investigators may have success in tracking down a suspect, the end result is often the same...
Predators typically pretend to be alluring young girls to befriend teen boys—often on social media and gaming platforms. The predators then trick these teens into exchanging sexually explicit material. In some cases, the predators convince teens and young adults that they have already obtained photos. Once the scammers have a victim's pictures or video, they demand money to keep the explicit material from being shared with the victim’s family, friends, pastors, and more.
Between 2018 and 2019, the number of sextortion cases grew by 40% nationwide, landing on about 140 new cases being reported daily. Today, there are well over 830 new sextortion cases reported every 24 hours in the United States, according to multiple government agencies and non-profit organizations that suggest a known 500% climb between 2020 and 2025 alone. More startling is the lack of statistical data on cases that are never reported by teens who are fearful of losing their beloved devices, according to Murdock...
Another percentage that is equally frustrating to factor in are the parents who fail to report the crime...
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)—along with the FBI—all report a sharp, documented surge in financial sextortion cases targeting children and teenagers across the State of Tennessee and the nation as a whole.
When working local cases, Detective Murdock told us the advice he often suggests that potential victims follow is to not respond...
But if you do send money, expect to hear back from the scammers over and over again...
The FBI reported, “Even when victims comply, scammers often demand more money and escalate the threats.”
Detective Wortman further emphasized that some predators may not focus on the financial side at all, and instead focus on scaring teens into sending more and more sexually explicit photos...
Some documented cases involving sextortion have led teens down a dark path. That trail turned so dark that it drove minor victims, primarily teenage boys, to die by suicide, according to the FBI.
For parents, it's important to monitor your children's actions and behaviors on their cellphones, smart devices, gaming systems, or computers, and to teach them about online dangers before trouble has a chance to begin.
It is equally important to notify authorities if you are aware of or suspect sextortion or blackmail taking place as soon as possible.
If you or someone you know is contemplating self-harm or suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7, free, and confidential). In Tennessee, you can also receive assistance by calling the Statewide Mental Health Crisis Line at 855.CRISIS.1 (855.274.7471).
SUMMARY: In Rutherford County and beyond, there is a rapidly growing, nationwide crisis of online sextortion targeting teenagers, specifically young males under the age of 17. Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Detectives Austin Wortman and Jeremy Murdock explain how organized, international predators use social media and gaming platforms to build fake rapport with minors, manipulating them into sending explicit images. Once obtained, these images are used to blackmail the victims for money, a crime that has seen a staggering 500% increase in recent years and has tragically led to instances of teen suicide. The detectives urge parents to closely monitor their children's online activities, educate them on digital dangers, and immediately report any suspected extortion to the authorities without complying with the scammers' demands.
The FBI Reports: Anyone being exploited in a sextortion scheme should do the following:
- Understand you are not at fault and you are not alone
- Ask for help from a trusted adult or law enforcement before sending money or more images. Cooperating with the predator rarely stops the blackmail and harassment—but law enforcement can
- Report the predator’s account via the platform’s safety feature
- Block the predator from contacting you
- Report the scheme immediately to the FBI or local law enforcement
- Save all interactions; those can help law enforcement identify and stop the predator
- If sexually explicit images have been shared, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Take it Down tool or Is Your Content Out There? for potential removal
