"Teen's Suicide Prompts Warning About Financial Sextortion Dangers"

The family of 17-year-old James Woods, who died by suicide after being targeted by an online predator on Instagram, is warning about the dangers of financial sextortion, a crime where minors are coerced into sharing compromising images by criminals seeking financial gain. The FBI has tracked roughly 12,600 sextortion victims, all minors, from October 2021 through March 2023, and at least 20 children who were victims of sextortion have died by suicide. The FBI is urging parents to be vigilant and encouraging victims to break their silence, while the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children advises seeking assistance before deciding whether to pay the extortioners.