Police Warn After $7,000 Sextortion Threat Made Against Guelph Resident

A routine dating-app conversation escalated the moment the caller ended their video chat and claimed to have recorded it. With screenshots of his followers and a demand for money, the scam unfolded rapidly before police were contacted.

Residents are again urged not to share intimate images online after a Guelph man this week found himself the target of a ‘sextortion’ attempt.

Early Thursday, a man in his 20s contacted police. He said he had met a woman on a dating app and she asked to switch to a chatting app. They had an intimate video chat, however the woman ended the call and then contacted the complainant to say she had recorded the video.

She sent the man screenshots of his social media followers and threatened to send them the video unless he paid $7,000. The man instead contacted police.

It is believed the suspect is located in Asia.

Intimate images should not be shared online, as they can be saved and redistributed at any time. If someone requests such images — especially someone not personally known to you – do not comply and cease communicating with them.