Watch out for the cameras

[Cortez]

Irishman 'in shock' after €10k blackmail demands in social media sex scam
5/14



Irish Independent




The young man, from Cork but who does not want to be identified, was threatened by an Eastern European woman after she sent him a video of him viewing her naked and performing sex acts on camera.

The woman, who was in her 20s, later contacted the young man and said that if he did not pay €10,000 to a specific account she would trace and contact his family and friends about the performance.

After refusing to pay, the young man contacted Cork radio station RedFm to highlight the scam.

"I didn't care what she did - I told her point blank that I wasn't paying anything," he said.

But the single man decided to go public because he became convinced the woman had attempted such scams before.

The duo came in contact via a social media site last November after he received a friend request from the woman which she later claimed was sent by mistake.

"I was in town (Cork city centre) getting something to eat. I checked into a restaurant Wifi and got (social media) message from her saying you are in the city centre - I am too, would you like to meet," he said.

"I said: 'Yes, come along.' She came over and we were chatting away.

"I thought she was sound out, a lovely girl. She said she was from Poland originally and had a broken accent. We went off together and two pints turned into about 18.

"She said would you like to come back to my friend's house. We went back there. I won't say what happened.

"She came across as the soundest girl I ever met in a very long time.

"(The woman) said she was studying to be a nurse. I was not very interested in what she was doing because she was stunning looking. I was just in awe of her.

"She was grand after that night. I totally forgot about it until yesterday when she sent me a message," he continued.

"She asked was I on (video calls) and I said 'No, I am not into it.'

"She said she would ring me through (social media) messenger. I wasn't in the form as I was half asleep.

"Then I got a message video call coming through and I just hung up, She kept ringing, ringing and ringing. I kept hanging up.

"Then I answered a (video) call and as I was looking at phone I said 'what the hell is going on here'. There she was starkers lying on a bed.

"She started going to town on herself if you get me and I was 'right okay'. I watched and it went on for two or three minutes. She was asking me to do stuff. I was reluctant and said 'no I am not into this at all.' She kept going on for another few minutes. Next thing she just stopped and the camera went off."

A short time later, the young man received a lengthy social media message which he interpreted as very threatening.

"She was saying 'do not end this call, you are under great threat and all this kind of stuff.' She played a video of me watching her and said I will release this video to all your family members and the people of Cork," he said.

"She named most of my family members that she must have got on (social media) and sent me a long list of names.

"Then she demanded €5,000 or she was going to release the video and let it go viral. She never gave me an account number but kept asking have you paid yet? She then demanded €10,000."

The young man refused to pay and she threatened him again.

"She told me I could go to the police, she didn't care what I did.

"She definitely has done this with other people and she will catch someone. She was professional and I think there was more than her involved. You could see she had done this before as she caught me hook, line and sinker.

"I believe she was very threatening towards me and tried to intimidate me."

The young man lodged a complaint with the social media service provider and said he is now also considering going to the Gardai.

"I am in shock over being blackmailed. I just want to warn others to be careful who they friend on (sites) and to be aware of the dangers that are out there".

The young man said he shuddered to think what would have happened if a married man had answered the video call and been filmed watching the woman's sex act.