A Northern Irish man is sharing his experience of an attempted sextortion scam to encourage others not to give in to such threats. Alan Irwin, 35, was targeted after connecting with an individual on a popular dating application last month. Following several days of online communication, the exchange escalated to a video call, which subsequently turned intimate. Moments after the call concluded, Mr Irwin received a screen recording of the interaction, accompanied by demands to pay money or face the footage being shared with his social media contacts.
Mr Irwin recounted an initial sense of panic upon receiving the threats, as the scammer presented screenshots appearing to show the video being sent to his friends and family. However, rather than complying with the demands, he chose to block the scammer's accounts and proactively warned his social media contacts. Subsequent checks confirmed that none of his contacts had actually received the threatened footage, suggesting the screenshots were fabricated to intensify the pressure. Mr Irwin's decision to resist the blackmail and speak out aims to empower other potential victims, particularly younger individuals who might feel more vulnerable.
The incident highlights the sophisticated tactics employed by sextortion criminals, who often build trust over several days or weeks before making their move. Mr Irwin noted that the scammer's profile on the dating app appeared to be verified, leading him to believe he was interacting with a genuine person. This element of deception can make it harder for users to identify risks, as verified profiles are generally perceived as more trustworthy. Upon reporting the incident to the police, Mr Irwin found the scammer had unmatched and blocked him, erasing all chat history and making it difficult to provide evidence of the perpetrator's identity.
The problem of sextortion is widespread and growing. Cara Hunter, an SDLP assembly member for East Derry, recently supported a constituent who also fell victim to a similar scam. This young man, who has autism, was blackmailed after an intimate video call with a scammer using a verified Tinder account and a Philippines-based number. Unlike Mr Irwin, this victim paid approximately £1,300 to prevent the footage from being distributed. Joanne Barnes, Chief Executive of Nexus, a charity supporting victims of domestic and sexual abuse, revealed that around 45 sextortion cases are reported to the police monthly in Northern Ireland alone, down from a peak of 70, but still representing a significant and likely underreported figure due to victim embarrassment.
Experts consistently advise victims of sextortion not to panic, engage with the scammers, or pay any money. The consensus is that once a payment is made, it often emboldens the criminals to demand more, and there is no guarantee the footage will be deleted. Instead, victims are urged to block all communication, gather any available evidence, and report the incident immediately to the police. Charities like Nexus emphasise that the shame and blame should always rest with the perpetrator, not the victim, and support services are available for those affected.