PETALING JAYA: A “sextortion” syndicate has been preying on men and women, with 180 cases reported in Selangor this year, police said.
Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Fadzil Ahmat said the syndicate’s modus operandi would be to befriend their victims on social media and then dupe them into stripping naked as they recorded the act.
“In the end, they would be extorted to the tune of thousands of ringgit in exchange for not making the photos go viral. They would then state their price, ” he said.
He said the cases were reported between Jan 1 and Nov 30.
The sextortion syndicate targeted males and females of various ages, ranging from teenagers to senior citizens, SAC Fadzil said.
He said the syndicate preyed on victims using Wechat, Facebook, Michat and Whatsapp.
“The syndicates would demand between RM10,000 and RM20,000.
“If their demands are not met, they threathen to share the naked pictures or videos on social media or with the victims’ family members and friends.”
He said in other instances, some victims were duped by those well known to them such as an ex-husband or a former boyfriend.
SAC Fadzil also urged the public to be wary of such scams on social media.
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