Beware: Males Targeted and Blackmailed for Cash by Female Seducers on Skype Video Calls

Scammers have long utilized instant messaging and communications platforms and applications to collect personal information on computer users and then later used that data to extort money from them or hack into banking accounts. Today, the game of using communication platforms has taken a turn for the worst. Female seducers are taking to Skype to woo male users into undressing in front of the camera and blackmailing them with public shaming through sharing their images and recorded video calls of them in compromising positions.

The case of exploiting images and video of people undressing in front of a web camera is a rather old technique that was used by male hackers posing as males seducing females on the other end. Now, the tables have turned to get males at the end of a webcam using Skype to undress while the alleged female seducer records video of males who are seduced into sharing themselves in explicit positions.

In these schemes, the female seducer is able to get males to succumb to their demands in asking them to wire money so they do not spread their explicit videos and imagery. The threat is real as the female seducer will exclaim that they will share the recorded content on public services, such as YouTube where the whole world can see them in "action."

Security researchers have discovered that this scheme is rather aggressive in that the female seducers, or those behind the blackmail, usually do not stop by asking for only one payment to keep the explicit content private. The victims are usually contented for additional funds at a later date to perpetuate this major issue. You would think one payment would suffice – it turns out those behind these scams are out for blood, or at least flesh in this case, pun intended.

Uncovering what goes on behind the scenes of this scam it is found that the money transfers are demanded to be done through Western Union so they may not be traced to the person picking it up. Additionally, the female seducers are usually very attractive and enticing so they thrive on those who are shallow enough to give into their demands made through Skype text and video conferencing.

The victims in these cases have no clue that they are being recorded through a video call. The software used for the recording sessions is not visible to the victim.

It would behoove guys to avoid the enticement of attractive females attempting to video chat and making demands to undress. In any case, it may be best to treat web cameras as big brother watching you at all times, only in the case of this scam big brother may have a very pretty face and sweet talks you into a money extortion trap.