Sextortion gangs luring kids to send nude photos by offering game items
Police have warned that “cyber sextortion” gangs are luring children to send photos of themselves naked in exchange for rare items from online games.
The gangs contact children via chat features in social media or within the games. They then offer digital items from the games to lure them into sending nude photos, which are later used to extort money from the victims, said police spokeswoman Noppawan Panya on Sunday.
“Some gangs also distribute these photos to groups of paedophiles,” she said.
A 2021 survey by ThaiHealth found that 85% of Thai children play online games, while one-third of them play for more than five hours per day, which fits the criteria of addiction.
Noppawan urged parents to keep a close eye on their children’s usage of the internet, social media, and online games. She also warned everyone not to send nude photos of themselves to others via any channel, as this would make them vulnerable to extortion.
“The national police chief has prioritised this issue as it involves children’s safety and has assigned the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division as the central agency in tracking down these gangs,” she said.
Anyone with information about sextortion gangs can contact the police hotline at 1191 or Facebook.com/ATPDPOLICE/.
