The cyber pandemic

As the world grappled with Covid-19, another epidemic emerged in the cyber world in the form of financial sextortion. This organized crime lures and entraps victims who are primarily teenage males and young men. This exploratory study examines the growing trend of male sextortion in the past couple of years through the lens of Cyber Lifestyles-Routine Activities Theory (CLRAT) and the Modus Operandi (MO) of sextortionists. Using a semi-systematic literature review, this study investigates victimization through the key elements of CLRAT: exposure & proximity, target attractivity, and guardianship. There is also an examination of MO in both the possession and extortion stages, as a way to understand offending behaviours. The findings highlight how the interplay between CLRAT & MO explains the susceptibility of young males to victimization. This new wave of sextortion lures young males primarily for financial gains compared to conventional victims who are females targeted through sexual motives. The study explores the existing minor & gendered-focus lens on sextortion, calling attention to the unique challenges financial sextortion poses from a legal perspective, for law enforcement, and for victim services.