Cuyahoga County Scam Squad: New alert system warns young adults about sextortion scams

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Scam artists often target the elderly, but a whole new age bracket is becoming prime victims for criminals pretending to be someone they’re not.

This category of scams is trending to such a degree that the Cuyahoga County Scam Squad has decided to rethink who they serve, going multi-generational and expanding from seniors to now include young adults.

“We’re just seeing older teens and young adults suddenly being targeted in particular by these scams,” said Sheryl Harris with the Cuyahoga County Scam Squad.

“I felt like I fell into a trap I couldn’t escape from,” said a Westlake teenager who fell victim recently.

Harris says many college students are now becoming victims of sextortion.

“I think they might be more vulnerable in the sense that they’re not surrounded by family, and they may not have some of the technological overnights and lockdowns that they experience at home,” she said.

The Scam Squad is now partnering with local campus police departments from all the universities and colleges in Cuyahoga County, reaching out the same way the scammers are, through the students’ phones, and giving them specific instructions to protect them from becoming a victim and to help them dig out if it’s too late.

“I think nearly every campus chief was enthusiastic about that,” said Harris.

“There are other people who might be going through the same situation,” the Westlake teen said.

Harris wants students to reach out to the Scam Squad, or local police and take steps to protect their network if they do make the mistake of sending photos or video.

“You should block the scammer first of all, but do not delete the texts because those are going to be really important to investigators later,” Harris said.

The most important message being conveyed through these alerts, Harris says, you’re not alone.

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