Summary
A teenager in the U.S., Evan Boettler, fell victim to a cyber-scam involving sexual extortion, leading to his suicide. The scam started with someone pretending to be a young girl who tricked him into sending intimate photos. Investigations revealed the scammer may be linked to organized operations in Lagos, Nigeria.
Key Facts
- Evan Boettler was a 16-year-old U.S. teenager who was targeted by a scammer posing as a young girl.
- The scammer tricked Evan into sending private images and then threatened him for money.
- Evan took his own life 90 minutes after receiving the threatening message.
- This type of extortion, called "sextortion," is a rapidly growing cybercrime where victims are blackmailed with intimate material.
- Social media companies require a court order to share user information, complicating investigations for Evan’s family.
- The investigation led to Nigeria, specifically Lagos, where many online scams originate.
- Scammers in these regions use fake identities and profiles to initiate contact with victims.
- The scammers, called "Yahoo Boys," see teenagers from Western countries as easy targets due to presumed wealth and social pressures.
