Cybercrime Researchers Tracked Sextortion Scammer to Nigeria

Tracking a Scammer

Erin West, founder of Operation Shamrock, and Paul Raffile, a cybercrime researcher specializing in sextortion, traveled to Nigeria to track down a scammer. Their objective was to gain firsthand insight into the operations of these criminals. They successfully located a scammer in a rural area outside Lagos.

Scammer Practices Observed

During their time in Nigeria, West and Raffile observed a scammer participating in a ritual with a local spiritual leader, or baba lao. The ritual involved fusing the identities of a victim and an impersonated individual to supposedly bring more fortune to the scammer's blackmailing efforts. This provided a rare glimpse into the cultural and spiritual aspects some scammers incorporate into their activities.

The Sextortion Threat

Sextortion involves scammers impersonating young individuals to coerce teenagers into recording explicit videos. They then threaten to release these videos to the victim's contacts unless payment is made. Raffile noted that sextortion is surging and disproportionately affects youth, with dozens of reported suicides among victims in the U.S.

Undercover Operation

To track a scammer, West and Raffile created fake social media accounts on Instagram and Snapchat, posing as a young person. Within days, they received suspicious direct messages from individuals impersonating young women, often using stolen photos. This rapid response confirmed the widespread nature of these scam attempts and allowed the researchers to engage directly with potential scammers.