🔗 Share this article

This frightening note was obtained via digital networks by United States youth Evan Boettler, from someone he had previously believed to be a teenage female - reality, it was a online fraudster.

Merely an hour and a half following the initial communication, the teenager committed suicide.

Sextortion - sexual extortion is one of the fastest-growing online crimes. Victims - often teenagers in the US and Europe are manipulated into sharing personal visual content, which the fraudsters menace to distribute without financial compensation.

After being informed that night of his death, comprehension escaped us

At the Missouri dwelling she cohabits with Evan's paternal parent Brad, she describes their son as a clever, amusing youth who enjoyed fishing, participating in sports and hunting.

The Cyber Footprint

Almost two years following, the Boettlers' grief has been raw, and their search for answers met with frustration. Digital services like Meta reject disclosing details lacking legal documentation.

However, a single important indicator remained - during the incident the criminal requested Evan's Facebook login, and when they used this, they abandoned an internet protocol marker.

This online trail directed me to various sites within Nigeria, most frequently its most-populated city, Lagos, where I hoped to discover who was responsible.

The Digital Fraud Network

My first meetings took me to the back streets which are residence for numerous urban criminals, known as "Yahoo Boys" - named after the email they used to run online scams at the beginning of the millennium.

These adolescent males, commonly in their third decade, reside in disadvantaged regions but aspire to luxury vehicles and rapid wealth.

I don't feel bad because I need the money

This location introduced me to Ola. He explained the operations of digital blackmail with an uncomplicated directness.

You open a female account using fake names from fake generators, he said. It's a site where you get names of people from the country that you want.

Structured Digital Criminal Operations

Ola functioned solitarily, but further examples reveal how online exploitation in Lagos has progressed into increasingly structured interconnected activities - gangs run with leaders, hierarchies and pooled resources, created to optimize earnings.

The pathway ultimately guided me through the aquatic routes of Makoko, one of the city's poorest districts, where wooden houses balanced on stilts appear beside the boundaries of Lagos Lagoon.

I was informed about endeavors termed "Hustle Kingdoms" – areas housing collections of adolescent men employing phones for schemes.

Mystical Aspects of Digital Fraud

These fraudsters informed me that numerous Yahoo boys were shifting into what they called Advanced Yahoo. This involved them visiting local priests to bless scams.

Spiritual practitioners have historically been integrated within Nigerian society, and for certain individuals, consulting them seemed as routine as purchasing a new mobile card.

Increasing Worldwide Concern

Within America, notifications of digital blackmail to the Federal Bureau have significantly increased in the past three years, achieving a maximum of 55,000 last year.

Online platform corporations claim they are responding but their critics argue they could intervene more aggressively.

Corporate Responses and Criticisms

A spokesperson for Meta said the suggestion that it could eradicate sextortion if it only chose to was basically inaccurate.

They persistently indicate that they avoid awareness concerning youth peril

The bereaved parents' suspicion is mirrored inside the company.

Assistance and Help Alternatives

• Various organizations provide confidential reporting tools for those affected by online exploitation
• Expert assistance can generate online identifiers to prevent image sharing
• Counseling options remain available for persons encountering cyber threats

Simultaneously, for Evan's family, the obstacles to resolution persist overwhelming. With social media platforms unable to release the data, all hopes of finding Evan's scammer relied on a Nigerian network operator.

Parenting him proved effortless due to his exceptional character

When I called the Boettlers they were gracious and thanked me for my efforts. Brad had previously described their son as "an amazing kid".