Guelph police allege teen extorted over nude photographs, recipient ‘threatened to share photos’

By Antonio D. Vela Last updated Jan 4, 2023

Guelph police are urging people to be cautious when sharing intimate images online after a teenage boy was allegedly extorted, GPS said in a news release.

On Friday evening, Dec. 30, a teen’s mother contacted the police to report the incident. A subsequent investigation revealed a 15-year-old had shared nude photos of himself via social media with someone he believed to be a girl. Police allege the unknown recipient then immediately threatened to share the images with the boy’s contacts if he did not pay money. No money was sent, according to police.

This is a common scam which is very difficult for police to investigate, GPS said.

Guelph police are reminding the public never to share intimate images online, especially if people are not sure who they are sending the photos to.