Financial sextortion: Bella Poarch joins campaign to combat scam
Photos from bellapoarch/Instagram
As financial sextortion cases skyrocket, Filipino American internet personality Bella Poarch has joined forces with Instagram to spotlight the issue and offer advice to protect young people online.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reported nearly 27,000 sextortion cases in 2023, marking an alarming rise of over 300 percent since 2021.
View this post on Instagram
For the uninitiated, financial sextortion is a scheme in which scammers, often posing as peers, manipulate victims into sharing explicit images, later using these images to extort money.
Through her Instagram video, the social media star highlighted specific red flags for users to be cautious of, including being wary of follow requests or direct messages from unfamiliar accounts, even if they have mutual friends.
“Even if they have mutual friends, because they may have requested your friends too,” she warned.
Poarch further emphasized that those engaging in conversations that escalate quickly—such as receiving a rush of compliments and requests for private photos—should be cautious.
She added that scammers often push victims to shift their conversations to other apps, a tactic used to gain more control and evade detection.
The Fil-Am content creator assured victims that they are not alone and should not feel guilty if they fall prey to these scams.
“If you fall victim to it, it’s not your fault, and you are not alone,” she stated.
Her advice to those targeted: stop responding to scammers, refuse to pay, and talk to someone they trust. She also encouraged users to block these accounts and report any suspicious chats to Instagram, where the platform has launched an in-app campaign to help teens recognize sextortion risks.
This campaign is part of a broader initiative by Meta, Instagram’s parent company, to combat financial sextortion.
Partnering with NCMEC and Thorn, a child-safety organization, Meta has launched public service announcements to educate young people and their families about sextortion scams and the resources available.
One such resource, takeitdown.ncmec.org, is designed to assist users in removing non-consensually shared images from online platforms.
Want stories like this delivered straight to your inbox? Stay informed. Stay ahead. Subscribe to InqMORNING
