An Online Extortion Scam Has Targeted Teens In Upper Moreland Township

UPPER MORELAND, PA — Local police say teens in the community have been targeted in an online scam seeking to extort them for cash due to their Internet activities.

The Upper Moreland Police Department put out a community notice late last week telling families to be vigilant when it comes to their kids' Internet activities after three separate incidents involving teen boys who were targeted in an online extortion scam.

According to police, the scammers contacted the teens on the social media site Instagram, with the scammers posing as an attractive female.

The conversation then moved over to the social network Snapchat, where naked photos were exchanged between the parties, according to police.

"The juveniles are then told to forward money or the photographs would be distributed to their contact list, which actually occurred," reads the police bulletin. "We strongly encourage you to speak with your children about this scam and about their internet activity."

Alan Crowetz, CEO of Infostream, Inc., was interviewed on CBS 3 Philly where he stated that women are typically extorted more often than men through schemes like this one, but that there has been an uptick in recent time involving juvenile boys since they tend to be more "gullible in many ways," Crowetz was quoted as saying.