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Durban Facebook and Whatsapp users warned after selfie extortion scam

This week social media users in Durban have been warned about a new scam doing the rounds on two social media platforms – Facebook and Whatsapp. This after three incidents of people being allegedly extorted out of large amounts of money.

According to IOL News, the three alleged victims were extorted after exchanging nude selfies with people who had befriended them on the social media platforms.

Victims had accepted an invite on Facebook and after a brief chat exchanged their Whatsapp number to the perpetrators, added the publication.

“Within the first few days they exchanged nude pictures. The women began demanding money and threatened to expose the nude pictures on social media. The victim paid the women R5 000, she continued to harass him for money,” explained Reach Unit South Africa (RUSA) spokesperson, Prem Balram.

Balram continues to say that the first incident was a 24 year old who resides in Phoenix, and two separate incidents of two women aged 22 years and 26 years respectively also fell victim to a Facebook invite.

“After the first victim blocked the woman on social media, she contacted the family business leaving messages for him to unblock her and again threatened to release the pictures to employees at the business. The victim eventually paid R35 000 in cash. The suspect is believed to be from Tongaat area,” said Balrm.

Furthermore, IOL News says that the two women were extorted for approximately R25 000 each by different men. Both the female victims are North Coast residents and informed RUSA that they receive 20 friend requests and messages per day on Facebook Messenger after they had posted selfies.

“When the women attempted to block one suspect, he pitched up at a school and showed the nude pictures to one of the woman’s children. The women had given the men details of their work, residential addresses and schools that their kids attended in their initial conversations,” added Balrm

“Both Women paid large amounts of money and are living in fear of their safety. One of the victims is unemployed and was forced to sell personal items and borrow money to pay the men,” he concluded.

[Source – IOL News]

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