Authorities are warning the public of a nationwide automated sextortion scam in which scammers use people’s email addresses to coerce payments using intimidation and threats of embarrassment. Victims,

New York State Police say a nationwide automated sextortion scam is being used more and more often in an attempt to coerce people into making payments.

Snoqualmie residents have been hit with worrying emails, threatening to “expose” them. The Snoqualmie Police Department (SPD) is warning residents not to respond to a sextortion scam.

Sextortion involves scammers convincing teens to send sexually explicit images or videos to them and then threatening to release those photos or videos unless the victim pays up or produces more.

The New York State Police have issued a warning about a widespread sextortion scam where scammers use victims’ email addresses to demand payments, often through Bitcoin. These criminals claim to have personal information and images of the victims and threaten to publicly embarrass them unless they pay up.

The Snoqualmie Police Department is warning residents about a new version of the “sextortion” scam that includes photos of victims’ homes. Several residents in Snoqualmie and North Bend have reported receiving emails with personal details, such as their address, accompanied by ransom demands.