Police Anti-Cybercrime officers arrested 28 people involved in a global ‘sextortion’ ring in Olongapo City.
Police raided a house in the city limits on Wednesday.
Authorities say that the group was involved in the business of selling pornographic materials via website links to clients abroad. Those clients were later duped into exposing themselves live on webcams, creating a blackmail opportunity for the group.
Police officials said, “The suspects are known for blackmailing their victims, demanding money from them or they will upload their videos showing them naked and engaging in sexual acts via the Internet.”
The leader of the noted group is still on the run and being hunted by police.
The arrests come on the heels of other sextortion syndicates operating throughout the Philippines.
In 2014, Facebook noted that the Philippines was the ‘Sextortion Capital of the World.’
Police say the sextortion group would secretly record the victims after luring them into exposing themselves online – the female in the group is said to have tempted men into having cybersex with her while recording the dubious activity.
Afterwards the group would then threaten those involved by sending or threatening to send the videos to their relatives or friends unless they paid an extortion fee of up to $2,000.
Those involved in the sextortion syndicate created ‘fake Facebook’ accounts with fictitious and alluring young women to entice the victims into their web. After getting to know them, they then offered pornographic material, as well as the webcam sessions.
Police warned others and said: “After getting acquainted with the victims… they engaged in cybersex, and this will be recorded unknown to the victims. After that they will threaten to release the recording to friends and relatives.”