Law Enforcement Warning Parents About ‘Sextortion’ Targeting Kids Across the Country

LINCOLN–(KFOR Aug. 16)–Lancaster County Sheriff’s Investigators, along with Lincoln Police and UNL Police, along with other law enforcement agencies across the country continue receiving reports of sextortion cases and want to get the word out of what to watch out for while using social media.

They want parents to know more about this type of crime, with a new school year upon us.

LSO Sheriff’s Captain John Vik explains predators are out there trying to take advantage of that by pretending to be other kids and ask for inappropriate pictures from the kids they’re targeting. A kid would then be contacted with the pictures they have sent and money is demanded in order those photos not be sent out to friends and family.

Vik says some of these sextortion claims across the country have caused tragic outcomes, including suicide. He suggests parents should be involved with their kids and have open lines of communication, regarding social media activity.

Only two sextortion crimes have been reported in the past month in the Lincoln area.