The police are investigating a number of complaints made over the last couple of weeks about ’sextortion’.

Sextortion is a type of online harassment which involves perpetrators threatening to use personal intimate images or footage to force the victim into complying with their demands usually for money or further more graphic imagery.

Detective Constable Richard Hewitt of the force’s public protection unit said: ’These cybercriminals have in the last couple of weeks targeted both children and adults via social media lulling them into a false of security, inciting them to share images of themselves which they wouldn’t normally.

’Once in possession of these images they then make threats to share these images on social media unless payment is made to a fictitious ‘charity’ and in one case £7500 was demanded.

’As scary as this contact might be, we urge people to stay calm if they receive such communication and contact the police who have officers trained to deal with these types of offences.’

He added: ’The sender will try to make the recipient feel fear and shame and attempt to make them panic by adding that payment would need to be made immediately, this is just a trick to obtain the victims money quickly or secure more images.

’The Isle of Man Constabulary will work with law enforcement in the United Kingdom and internationally to identify and bring perpetrators to justice and deal with victims in a sensitive and confidential manner.

’These criminals are ruthless, unscrupulous individuals who don’t care about the impact of their actions on victims

’They seek to exploit people’s emotions shaming and scaring the recipient enough, that they make comply with their demands we would urge anyone who has had these type of threats made against them to contact the public protection unit at police headquarters on 631499.’

More protection advice can be found on our website in the cyber section. www.iompolice.im