Digital Blackmail Is Targeting Young Men More Than Ever. Are You Prepared?
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
By Jeremy H. Gottschalk, Forbes Books Author.
For Forbes Books | Author Post | Paid Program
Internet scams have come a long way from emails of pseudo-princes asking for money. One of the most pervasive yet overlooked online scams that targets teen boys ranging from 14-17 years of age is sextortion. Run by a network of BM Boys (the BM is short for blackmail), unsuspecting teens are lured into connecting with what looks like a pretty girl on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Before long, these naive youngsters are conned into sharing compromising photos of themselves, which are in turn used to blackmail these boys. According to a recent tally of “private cases and the latest FBI numbers”, at least 30 teenage boys have died from suicide as a result of sextortion attempts.
After South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey lost his 17-year-old son to suicide from sextortion, he was able to work with the FBI to get the criminal extradited to the United States to face charges. While nothing can bring Guffey’s son back, they could at least prevent the same extortionist from causing harm to others with a sentence of 30 years to life if convicted.
What to do if you are targeted
Part of the reason teen boys are being targeted is because 7.5 percent of them don’t realize what sextortion is in the first place, according to a new study from the National Crime Agency in the UK. It’s really important that teens realize their parents are a safe place for them to go to if they are contacted by such criminals. It’s even more important that parents educate themselves and their children. Although such conversations can be awkward, knowing that the potential of leaked images isn’t the end of the world is an important start.
On April 28, 2025, Congress passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which criminalizes the sharing or threatening of sharing of non-consensual intimate images. While this is a good first step, it’s important for victims to know how to protect themselves. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has some good pointers to keep in mind: “the blackmailer is to blame, not you” and “report the account via the platform’s safety feature.” These tips may seem obvious, but it’s important to always begin with these first steps.
Although it can be difficult to remember in the midst of a bad situation, it’s imperative not to pay requested funds. Michigan State University’s Police and Public Safety page advises victims that paying money, no matter how small the amount, will “likely increase the threats and extortion efforts of the person attempting to receive money.” Take some deep breaths, don’t make rash decisions, and report cyber crimes directly to the proper authorities.
Victim Support reminds users that they can make their accounts private to limit who can see them in the first place. By default, a lot of social media sites have privacy settings turned off. It’s safer to turn them on and limit your online presence to people you actually know instead of the public at large.
If you need a broader education on sextortion, social media companies like Meta and Snap have some good articles on the topic. The more you stay informed, the more you can inform others. What’s obvious information for some may be a surprise to others.
By declining suspicious messages, refusing to make payments, and being upfront with family about any sextortion attempts, teens can be better armed and forewarned if they become a target.
Jeremy Gottschalk is the foremost expert on marketplace and digital platform trust & safety, risk management and legal strategy. An attorney with more than twenty years of experience representing marketplaces and digital platforms, he is the former General Counsel for the online marketplace Sittercity and the founder and CEO of Marketplace Risk (www.marketplacerisk.com), the premier resource for education, networking, and collaboration for marketplaces and digital platforms worldwide. A fierce advocate for the platform ecosystem, Jeremy is the founder and executive director of the Marketplace Industry Association.
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