With the increasing number of victims of electronic sexual extortion, and their targeting in most countries of the world, the security services found themselves facing a major challenge, especially after the crime became organized, and its methods developed, to the point that the International Criminal Organization “Interpol” monitored the establishment of gangs with special departments for electronic crimes in general, and extortion in particular.
The investigation and cybercrime teams in Arab countries identified a small city in one of the North African countries, which was the starting point for this type of crime in the Arab world. The first case of arresting perpetrators was recorded there. They were three students studying at a technology institute. Indecent material was found in their possession, which a police officer described as being enough to open an entire pornographic channel.
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This case revealed problems that criminals exploit, such as weak legislation and its differences from one country to another, and the loopholes that criminals exploit to escape punishment, or at the very least benefit from them in obtaining reduced sentences that are completely incomparable to the imaginary profits they have made.
Interpol, in coordination with several security agencies, adopted the “sweeping counterattack” strategy and was able to dismantle gangs that established special centers that provide training, funding, and support to cybercriminals. It discovered that these gangs were involved in destroying victims and pushing them to commit suicide.
The anti-crime agencies in the UAE, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Interior, implemented a similar strategy. They did not limit themselves to providing support to victims and pursuing criminals, but Dubai Police also held specialized courses for police officers in countries where this type of criminal is active, to train them on how to monitor, pursue, arrest, and provide evidence of conviction.
The “Al-Amin” service of the General Department of State Security launched an extensive preventive campaign, in coordination with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, during which it focused on raising awareness of the criminal methods of blackmailers, and allocated a hotline to receive calls from members of society, with the aim of providing immediate assistance to them.
In the second part of the “Electronic Blackmail” file, “Emirates Today” sheds light on local, regional and international security efforts, how to deal with victims and track down criminals, and the challenges facing anti-blackmail personnel, especially in light of the spread of these methods in politically unstable countries, and the risks of being picked up by extremist organizations that may exploit them to blackmail victims and force them to join them.
To view topics related to the investigation:
■■ Electronic sexual blackmail “late-night shock” (1-2)
■■ Men in the trap of electronic sexual blackmail.. “stripping and humiliation”
■■ Sexual blackmailer: “Images of wealth” is the criterion for selecting victims
■■ Escape from electronic sexual blackmail to suicide
■■ Psychological consultant: The “blackmailer” is behaviorally disturbed… and the victim suffers from a lack of trust
■■ 95% of victims do not report to the police
■■ Information security expert: Sextortion gangs target celebrities
■■ “Counterattack” is the security weapon against electronic blackmail (2-2)
■■ Sexual extortionists take advantage of “weak legislation” in their countries
■■ Control On “immoral content” is difficult as long as the electronic blackmailer is at large
■■ Al-Hajri: Electronic blackmail has transformed from random practices to organized crime
■■ “Confidential Support” for Victims of Cyber Blackmail
■■ Facebook: We deal seriously with blackmail cases
■■ “Trusting Strangers” is the Key to “Electronic Blackmail”
■■ “Cyber-extortion” harms governments and economies
