Blackmailers prey on UAE Snapchat users

The illusion of security provided by Snapchat could make users even more vulnerable to blackmail, experts said.

DUBAI // Extortionists are increasingly using Snapchat to blackmail victims by threatening to share pictures on the internet, police say.

The illusion of security provided by the app, in which pictures and messages self-destruct after a short time, could make users more vulnerable to blackmail, experts said.

In one case described by Dubai Police, an Emirati man exchanged messages on Snapchat with a woman who asked if they could speak over the phone. He sent videos and pictures to the woman, who then asked for money, threatening to post the videos online so that his wife would find out about them.

Another case reported to police involved a mother of five children who accepted a request on Snapchat from a woman she thought was her friend. The mother, from an Arab country and in her 30s, told police that the woman started asking questions and the victim shared videos and pictures of herself.

The victim said the woman then threatened to blackmail her by posting the videos and pictures online if she did not have sex with her.

Amir Gomaa, a social media manager at UAE Exchange, said there are apps and software that can save videos and pictures shared on Snapchat.

“An easier way is for someone to photograph or video capture the screen of a mobile phone displaying an image or video shared on Snapchat,” he said. “It is trivial and can have dire consequences.”

Mr Gomaa believes that as our lives become more connected on social media, the risk of becoming a victim of cyber crime increases dramatically.

“There is definitely an increase in cyber crime cases. For every new application, there is a hacker who develops a software to hack that application,” he said.

UAE residents often post private information on social media, such as their locations, what car they drive and other details, making them more vulnerable to cyber crime, he said.

He advised parents to monitor children’s use of Snapchat.

“Children usually are curious and at the same time ignorant,” he said. “Therefore, parents better be cautious rather than having their children involved in a cyber crime.”

Dubai lawyer Majid Al Jallaf said the illusion of security that Snapchat provides may make it even more problematic.

“The latest social media app is meant to be a fun and fast way to share pictures, videos and messages that self-destruct after an allotted time of frame, ranging from a few seconds up to 24 seconds,” he said.

“However, Snapchat blackmail is on the rise.

“An adult or maybe a teenager shares photos or short videos and thinks the person has seen it once, and it’s over. Then, a person who sees the picture or the video downloads them and threatens to post it online.”

Federal Decree No 5 of 2012 addresses cyber crime. Article 16 deals with “sextortion”, stating that when an individual makes a threat in return for money, the extortioner can face imprisonment for up to two years and a fine between Dh250,000 and Dh500,000.

“The punishment is harsher if the extortioner is asking the victim to commit a felony and/or engage in matters against the victim’s morals, instead of money, which can then result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years,” Mr Al Jallaf said. [e-mail]