Cyber Security Authority Issues Public Alert About Spike In Online Sextortion Cases
- Ghana's Cyber Security Authority has raised alarm about the recent spike in sextortion cases being reported in the country
- The CSA noted that in the first two months of the year alone, it recorded a staggering 254% year-on-year increase in online blackmail cases
- So far, the country has reported 226 cases of sextortion and online blackmail resulting in a GH¢112,209 loss
Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has issued a public alert concerning a rise in online blackmail and sextortion incidents in the country.
The public alert follows a previous one in March 2024, in which the CSA noted a 254% year-on-year increase in online blackmail cases for the first two months of the year.
Source: UGC
The CSA noted an additional 141 cases were reported between March and June.
So far, 226 cases have been reported in the country, and these have resulted in a GH¢112,209 loss.
Modus operandi of blackmailers
Per Citinewsroom, a CSA statement shared how the blackmailers lure and entrap their victims on social media.
The CSA said the blackmailers often befriend unsuspecting victims on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, and move the conversation to WhatsApp after a while.
Over time, the blackmailers initiate amorous relationships with their victims and encourage them to engage in naked video calls on Whatsapp which are secretly recorded.
The blackmailers may also initiate spontaneous video calls to capture their victim’s face and then use it for fake explicit content.
Sometimes, targets spontaneously receive explicit content from blackmailers who then manipulate them into reciprocating with their own explicit content.
In other cases, explicit content on victims’ phones is retrieved by blackmailers when they are sent to repair shops.
The blackmailers then threaten to release the compromising material unless the victims pay a hefty ransom.
CSA shares safety precautions
The Cyber Security Authority has urged the general public to be wary of online relationships that seem to progress too rapidly, particularly those that lead to requests for explicit content or other compromising content.
It also warned the public to be wary of online friend requests from unknown individuals and avoid video calls from unknown people on social media.
The public has been advised to use strong passwords to protect sensitive date and only use reputable phone repair shops.
“Avoid capturing or storing explicit images or videos of yourself on your devices and be cautious of unsolicited messages or offers, especially those promising money or business opportunities,” it stated.
Man jailed for leaking ex’s explicit images
YEN.com.gh reported that a resident of Odorkor has been jailed for sharing explicit photos of his ex-girlfriend online after a breakup.
The man, Joshua Asiedu, aged 49, is expected to pay his ex-girlfriend GH¢10,000 in compensation for emotional stress.
Asiedu was sentenced to three years in prison for non-consensual sharing of a compromising image by an Accra Circuit Court.
Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh
New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Source: YEN.com.gh
