Perth & Kinross Local Area Commander’s Bulletin

Wednesday 28th June 2023

Online Webcam Extortion

Webcam Extortion is a term given to demands made for monies or other favours which involve the use of a chat application, the internet and a webcam.

Webcam Extortion can happen when people establish new online relationships with people they don’t know. After a period of time victims are enticed to reveal personal information or undertake compromising activity. The victim is then threatened, being warned that images or personal information will be made public unless favours are undertaken or money is paid.

This type of criminality can affect young and old, male and female alike.

If you find yourself the victim of such a scam then the first thing to do is not to panic. You have already taken the first big step by recognising you are the ‘victim’ in this and that you may require support to help you through this difficult time. The Police will take your case seriously, will deal with it in confidence, and will not make judgements on your behaviour.

Do NOT pay. Some victims who have paid what the offenders have demanded hear no more about it, many others who have paid have then continued to receive further and often increasing demands. In some cases even when the demands have been met the offenders will still go on to post the videos anyway.

Do NOT communicate further with the offenders. Obtain screen shots of any communication. Deactivate your Facebook account and use the online reporting process to report the matter to Skype, WhatsApp, YouTube etc. to have any video blocked and to set up an alert in case the video resurfaces. Deactivating the Facebook account rather than shutting it down will ensure data is preserved and will assist law enforcement in obtaining evidence. The account can also be reactivated at any time ensuring online memories are not lost forever.

In general once they’re blocked, the offenders can’t contact you. If they are unable to do so then they can’t threaten you or make demands, so they tend to move on fairly quickly. However, they may try to utilise other contact routes that they are aware of, so be mindful of all sites where communication has been made or you are linked to.

If you have already paid, check to see if the money has been collected. If it has, and if you are able, then make a note of where it was collected from. If it hasn’t, then you can cancel the payment – and the sooner you do that the better.

LOCAL UPDATES

A 28 year old male will be reported to Perth Sheriff Court for possession of bladed article in relation to incident which took place on Wednesday 21st June 2023 at Cairns Crescent, Perth

A 36 year old male was arrested for attempted theft and possession of controlled drugs in relation to an incident which took place on Thursday 22nd June 2023 at High Street, Perth.

A 30 year old male was arrested for an assault and possession of controlled drugs in relation to an incident which took place on Saturday 24th June 2023 at South Methven Street, Perth.

A 21 year old male was arrested for assault to injury in relation to incident which took place on Saturday 24th June 2023 at Mill Street, Perth.

A 15 year old male will be reported to the Youth Justice Assessor for Culpable & Reckless Conduct in relation to incident which took place on Saturday 24th June 2023 at Letham Road, Perth.

A 37 year old male was arrested for threatening or abusive behaviour in relation to incident which took place on Friday 23rd June, 2023 at Blair Atholl.

A 20 year old male was arrested for disturbance that took place on Saturday 24th June 2023 at Princes Croft, Coupar Angus.

A 46 year old female was caution and charged for careless driving following road traffic collision which took place on Sunday 25th June 2023 at Tibbermore crossroads, Perth.

During the last week 4 drivers have been found to be without insurance, 1 had no licence and 2 had no MOT.

RECENT INCIDENTS

Between 4pm and 5pm on Sunday 25th June 2023 a black Mercedes C-Class that was parked in the street on Morris Court, Perth had windscreen smashed with a bottle. (CR/0119031/23)

At 01:55am on Tuesday 27th June 2023 a shed was set of fire within garden area on Tweedsmuir Road, Perth. (CR/0119179/23)

Between 11:30am and 11:40am on Friday, 23rd June 2023, motor vehicle blue Vauxhall Corsa that was parked on Tesco Car Park, Welton Road, Blairgowrie was damaged by someone driving into it. Vehicle was found having scratch marks to the rear, broken rear driver side light and cracked bumper. (CR/0118288/23)

Between 15:30pm on Friday 23rd June and 8:00am on Monday 26th June 2023, several items were vandalised within school grounds at Cleish Primary School, Cleish, Kinross including burns marks to greenhouse, graffiti to a phone box and walls within playgrounds and signs pulled of the walls. (CR/0118802/23)

Anyone with any information that may be useful should contact Tayside Division on 101 or any police officer, quoting the crime reference number listed at each incident. Alternatively information can be passed anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Regards,

Tom Leonard

Chief Inspector

Local Area Commander

Perth and Kinross

FURTHER INFORMATION AND INTERNET LINKS

As we receive reports of crime, the information is shared on https://www.pkcommunitywatch.co.uk/

I would encourage you to sign up for notifications.

Guidance on how to protect your property is available via Community Watch as well as on the Police Scotland Website, just click or copy and paste the following link:-

https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/

Keep up to date with everything we are doing and all appeals by visiting the following sites:-

https://twitter.com/policescotland

https://www.facebook.com/PoliceScotland

http://www.scotland.police.uk/

http://www.pkcommunitywatch.co.uk

Your Community Policing Teams

Locality Inspectors

PERTH CITY CENTRE

PI James Longden

PERTH CITY NORTH

PI Paul Haigh