Overview
- Nationwide’s review of 50 recent cases found 98% of identified victims were male, with nearly half in their 20s, and ages ranging from 13 to 70.
- Criminals pose as dates or friends on social and dating apps, shift chats to private messengers, pressure targets to share intimate images, then issue threats for fast payments or gift cards.
- One case described a man who met someone on Tinder, exchanged images and video-called, then faced a demand for money and was pushed to install payment apps and share his screen, with more threats after the first payment.
- Polling of 2,000 people found more than half of students say scams are harder to spot, about 23% of students report being scammed, and concern is highest among 16–24s about peers sharing intimate images.
- Nationwide urges people to pause before sharing images, refuse payment demands, avoid switching platforms at someone else’s request, and report threats to a trusted person, the police, or their bank.