Eastern Finland Police warn of rising sextortion scams

The Eastern Finland Police have issued a warning regarding a rise in sextortion cases, with over ten reports filed during the summer and autumn. Criminals target both minors and adults by initiating friendly conversations on social media or messaging apps, which rapidly escalate into sexual or highly personal topics.

Victims are lured into sending nude images or participating in sexually explicit video calls that are recorded without consent. Perpetrators then demand money—often via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or international payment services—threatening to distribute the recordings to the victim's friends and family, whose contact details are often gathered from social media. In some instances, criminals have used artificial intelligence to manipulate images, adding nudity or sensitive content to existing photos.

The police advise against complying with extortion demands, noting that payment rarely stops the harassment and often leads to increased demands. Victims are urged to cease all contact immediately, preserve messages and receipts as evidence, and file a police report. Authorities also noted that for minors, such material constitutes child sexual abuse material (CSAM).