A computer screen shows Britain's first national "Most Wanted" web site
IN PHOTO: A computer screen shows Britain's first national "Most Wanted" web site detailing the names and pictures of missing child sex offenders on November 17, 2006. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre said the national site would include the background and pictures of paedophiles who had failed to comply with regulations requiring them to notify their whereabouts with the police. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Online scammers have threatened an unnamed teenager from Metro Vancouver that they would upload “a video of him with a woman” having sexual intercourse. The only way for the sex video not to be found on the Web is for the Vancouver boy to pay the scammers in cold cash.

Sam — not the Vancouver man’s real name — thought of committing suicide as a solution to save him from looming humiliation. He said he found himself “enslaved” to an online scam known as “sextortion.” Because his family is religious and a member of a certain ethnic community, he could not afford to tarnish his family’s reputation.

“My biggest fear was if this video got out, [I’d be] ruined. Not just my life, my family’s life. I come from a family where this kind of thing is just a big no-no,” Sam told CBC News. He continued saying suicide dawned on him.

Sam narrated it all began in March. It was evening and he was staying at his parents’ house and went online using his iPad. He was alone in his room, curious and bored. He knew Google and started browsing websites, particularly an online dating site, BeNaughty.com.

His attention was caught by a beautiful woman in blonde on her mid-20s. The woman’s profile said she was residing in New York, then after preliminary online conversations, Sam claimed he was seduced to contact her through a video call on Skype.

He continued that during the video call, the woman began “exposing herself” on webcam and convinced the latter “to do the same.” At first, Sam said he was reluctant but after she threatened she will “please another guy,” he conceded.

Unbeknownst to him, everything was recorded on camera. It was only after he saw his act “played back to him on his iPad” display that he realised he was about to be a victim of extortion. Thereafter, the culprit demanded CA$600 [$631] money from Sam with threats that she will upload the video throughout the social media in his area if he will not oblige.

Sam wished he was dead as humiliation and panic settled in him. Overwhelmed with anger and fear, he emptied his bank account and went to MoneyMart to transfer the money to “someone in the Philippines.” But even after paying, Sam said he continues to be a victim as the woman told him “she was waiting for his next paycheque."

Desperate, Sam sought advice from professionals and came across a website about scam survivors, heeding their advice to cancel his credit cards and remove all accounts on social media. Eventually, the “sextortionist” lost interest in him.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says Sam’s predicament is not isolated. Amanda Todd from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia was one of the “most high-profile” sextortion victim who committed suicide over a plight similar to Sam. She was only 15-year old. Daniel Williams, spokesman from anti-fraud centre, advise the public especially those who are victims of fraud not to give in “to their demands” because scammers “feed off the power” and once they know they can control some people, then those people are done.

For comments or feedback on the article, contact the writer at kizmet@ymail.com. You may also join or start a discussion below.

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