‘Fraudsters’ using Facebook to fish for men to blackmail
Be cautious when sending personal information or images online.
Fraudsters are creating fake Facebook profiles luring men to send intimate pictures of themselves so that the swindler can blackmail the men.
A local man has already suffered this fate, according to a friend who contacted Rekord on condition of anonymity.
The source said a “pretty young woman” befriended her friend on Facebook. The two started chatting and no sooner she was sending him “personal” pictures and asking him for his.
“She enticed him to send photos back and when he wasn’t even interested she manipulated a photo, sent it to him and made it seem he had sent the photo of his private parts to her,” she added.
According to the source, the Facebook user who goes by the name Emilie Holloway then demanded R2 000 from her friend and when he refused she threatened him.
“She said to him ‘send me R2 000 or I will send the photos to your boss, parents, friends, girlfriend or whoever else’.”
The source warned social media users to be careful.
“Please everyone please be careful out there. You do not know who you can trust anymore and seeing as everything now is online I would say rather don’t send anything or try and do anything.”
If someone is threatening to share messages, photos, videos you want to keep private, is asking you for money or asking you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with, report it to Facebook or the police.
Rekord has attempted to communicate to the Facebook user without any luck.
Here are tips to help you spot a fake Facebook account.
Also read:
Tips against smash-and-grab crimes
Tips against driveway hijackings
Tips to keep children safe when travelling
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