Predator Extorts High Schoolers Who Give Up Personal Information @McAfeeConsumer

16 Feb 2012 · 2 min

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2:07

The segment reports a Facebook extortion scheme targeting a student at BC High, where an impostor posing as a teenage girl named "Sarah John" befriended the victim, extracted personal information, and threatened to publish it unless paid. The school alerted parents, urging them to block the fake profile and report any contact to police. WBZ reporter Jim Smith consulted nationally known computer safety expert Robert Siciliano, who warned that such scams are part of a broader pattern of online abuse, citing a recent incident where photos of 17 female students from Bay Path Regional High School were posted on a porn site. The segment emphasizes the need for parents to monitor their children's online activity, avoid befriending strangers, and understand that once information is posted online it can be widely disseminated. Police and the FBI are investigating both incidents.

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A BC High student says he was the victim of an extortion attempt on Facebook, and he may not be alone in this. The school says that a person posing as a teenage girl named Sarah John friended a BC High student on Facebook, then convinced that student to share personal information. When he did, this so-called Sarah John threatened to post that information publicly unless he gave her cash. So BC High is asking anyone who might have who friended Sarah John to block her and to report further contact to police.
This is just the latest high-profile incident involving Facebook this week. It serves as a good reminder for parents to know exactly what information your own children are putting out there, knowingly or not.
WBZ's Jim Smith spoke to an expert on how to make this a teaching moment.
Realize that the wild, wild web has no boundaries.
Robert Siciliano is a nationally known computer safety expert. He says the Facebook extortion plot at DC High should be a warning for all of us.
In the end, a friend is a person who you know you like and you trust. Therefore, you should not friend strangers or people you do not know.
A person posting as Sarah John on Facebook posted a picture making her look like a teenage girl, and that suspect was able to convince the student to share extremely personal information, information the suspect now threatens to post publicly unless the victim provides money.
Sarah John is no female. Sarah John is probably a male, whether domestic or international, has probably done this before and is probably doing it to other students across the country.
In a letter sent home to parents, the school says they've contacted police who are investigating. School officials also say this suspect has also friended other BC High School students. BC High is not alone. Just last week, 17 female students at Bay Path Regional High School in Charlton had their pictures lifted from Facebook and posted on a porn site. The photos of the girls were totally innocent and they were fully clothed, but police and the FBI are investigating.
Unfortunately, once you post photos on the web, they're pretty much there for the taking.
In Boston, Jim Smith, WBZ News.