BANKS COUNTY, Ga. — The Banks County Sheriff’s Office is warning families to be vigilant in response to what they say is a growing scam trend targeting high schoolers.
Specifically, the sheriff’s office is raising the alarm about two types of scams being used to target teenagers.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The sheriff’s office said sextortion scams that target high school-aged youths are becoming more common and can lead to “significant emotional distress,” urging people to immediately call law enforcement if there’s an incident.
A sextortion scam is a case where someone “often poses as someone” the same age as the teenager and then convinces them “to share explicit photos or videos. Once shared, the scammer threatens to post or send the content to friends and family unless the teen pays money or provides more images.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- Pregnant woman fighting in the ICU after husband killed in fiery Athens crash
- Flu reaches ‘concerning’ level in metro Atlanta as holiday gatherings get closer
- Postal worker arrested on her route for mail theft. What she told USPS agents
Another type of scam deputies are warning families and teachers about are financial and gift card scams.
In these cases, the Banks County Sheriff’s Office said scammers will pretend to be friends, romantic interests or online sellers.
The scammers “may ask victims to send money, buy gift cards or share personal information to ‘claim a prize’ or ‘help with an emergency.’”
The sheriff’s office said this type of scam usually ends up in financial losses and can expose its victims to further identity theft.
To keep high schoolers and other youth safe, the sheriff’s office said parents and guardians are urged to talk about online safety.
The office recommends encouraging youths to:
- Never share personal or intimate images online.
- Avoid sending money or gift cards to anyone they haven’t met in person.
- Report suspicious or threatening messages to a trusted adult and local law enforcement.
- Block and report suspicious accounts on social media platforms.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]