How sextortion syndicates prey on fear, secrecy and ego

Sextortion syndicates are exploiting shame, secrecy and ego to extort money from men and teenagers, using a mix of online entrapment and real-world coercion to pressure victims into paying.

Where victims are found

Private investigator Brad Nathanson said syndicates harvest victims on adult websites and classified ads, through social media, and via in-person encounters at brothels or other establishments. Teenagers are targeted primarily through platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram.

How the schemes play out

The tactics vary depending on the contact method, but the escalation is consistent. Nathanson described scenarios ranging from sex phone calls to actual physical meetings that are followed by demands for money. He said:

“It’s a sex phone call or it’s actual sex where you’ll go and have sex with this person, but afterwards, you get extorted.”

In cases tied to brothels, victims may be contacted and told they owe additional money for example that a card was mischarged or the price suddenly doubled. Once communication starts, demands can quickly become threats directed at a victim’s spouse, employer and family.

How perpetrators identify victims

Nathanson said syndicates log victims once they have visited an establishment. He explained that perpetrators can record a vehicle number plate and then pass it to a contact in law enforcement, who can run the plates and identify the victim, obtaining details such as an ID number and address. From there, the extortion begins.

Financial and emotional impact

Victims have been fleeced of sums ranging from a few thousand rand to hundreds of thousands of rand. Nathanson recounted one businessman who paid R650 000 in installments of R50 000 because he feared his wife discovering his indiscretions; he paid until he could no longer afford to do so.

Targeting teenagers and violent threats

Teenagers can be lured into believing they are talking to a young woman, only to discover the person is a man who uses intimate images as leverage. Nathanson said threats can escalate to the point of death threats, leaving young victims living in constant fear of exposure and physical harm.

Why the scams keep working

Nathanson identified a common psychological driver: ego. He said many victims respond to attention not always intending to meet in person and become vulnerable when asked for inappropriate pictures. Victims are often reluctant to report the crime to police because investigators will require access to the same messages and images they want to keep private. That reluctance, he said, lets extortionists operate with impunity.

“One word. Ego.”

How victims can break the cycle

Nathanson warned that once payments begin, extortion typically continues. He advised that victims cut off communication immediately and refuse to engage further. He also recommended avoiding unsolicited messages and not responding to vague opening lines that claim prior contact, since scammers rely on uncertainty and flattering attention to build trust.

Criminals run a numbers game

According to Nathanson, these criminals contact large numbers of potential victims and need only a few people to respond for the operation to succeed. That volume-based approach, combined with threats and the victim’s fear of exposure, drives the syndicates’ continued activity.