Law enforcement officials in Aurora, Colorado, are investigating several reports of children who have been subjected to sextortion, a form of blackmail that involves the threat of posting a sexually explicit image.
The Aurora Police Department said scammers involved in sextortion often threaten to post explicit material on the Internet unless they receive money from the targeted person. Sextortion may also sometimes involve sharing explicit images with others in exchange for money.
The plan in Aurora was first reported to a school resource officer on Jan. 16, 2024.
Since we received the notice, additional reports related to the initial investigation have come in from students and officials at Aurora Hill and Mrachek middle schools, as well as Rangeview, Smoky Hill, Gateway, Vista Peak, Cherokee Trail and Overland high schools.
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Colorado authorities are investigating a sextortion scam targeting students at at least eight schools. (iStock)
The students in six of the incidents, police said, claimed to be direct targets of the sextortion plot after being contacted on Instagram by the suspect or suspects.
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Some of the students were approached by the suspect or suspects on Instagram, police said. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Investigators learned from dozens of other victims that they received unsolicited invitations to join an Instagram “Close Friends List” in exchange for money, and on the list they could view sexually explicit material.
A close friends list on Instagram allows users to view private content of an account holder.
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Detectives are working to identify additional victims with the help of Cherry Creek School District and Aurora Public Schools officials.
Investigators also contacted Meta, which police say is working to identify the owners of the suspicious profiles, while also determining the legitimacy of the shared photos and videos.
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Police said the investigation is ongoing and encourage anyone with information about the matter to contact a department detective at 303-627-3100. Police ask anyone calling to quote case number AP2024-10276.
