Security News > 2022 > June > FTC warns of LGBTQ+ extortion scams – be aware before you share!
Sadly, over the years, we've needed to write numerous Naked Security warnings about romance scammers and sextortionists.
The bad news is that there is a form of online sexual extortion that is effectively hybrid of romance scamming and porn scamming, where the criminals involved do indeed have content with which to blackmail you.
Sadly, the scam then unfolds just like the porn scam mentioned above: "Pay hush money or we'll spread the news to people you don't want to know about it."
Unlike the old-school porn scammers, that part of the story isn't a bluff, because they're using the photos you sent to them under the mistaken impression you could trust them.
Usually work something like this: a scammer poses as a potential romantic partner on an LGBTQ+ dating app, chats with you, quickly sends explicit photos, and asks for similar photos in return.
The FTC's online form is easy to use; you can supply as much or as little information as you know or want; and you can report scams as varied as "Just an annoying call", fake love interests, phoney government officials, and fraudulent investments.