Larne Man Exposes Sextortion Scam After Tinder Match Threatens Intimate Video Release
Alan Irwin, 35, from Larne, has publicly detailed his experience with an attempted sextortion scam after connecting with an individual on Tinder. The interaction escalated from chat to a video call, which subsequently turned sexual. Moments after the call ended, Irwin received messages containing a screen recording of the intimate video, accompanied by threats to share the footage with his friends and family via social media, along with demands for payment.
Instead of yielding to the threats, Irwin blocked the scammer's accounts and alerted his contacts on Facebook about the potential distribution of the footage. He later confirmed that none of the individuals supposedly sent the video had received anything. Irwin reported the incident to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), although the scammer's Tinder profile had since been deleted, erasing chat history and profile details.
Increasing Prevalence and Vulnerable Targets
This incident is not isolated. Cara Hunter, an SDLP assembly member, disclosed that a young constituent with autism was similarly targeted, losing approximately £1,300 to a sextortion scam originating from a verified Tinder account, also involving a Philippine phone number. The Internet Watch Foundation reported a record number of under-18s in the UK sought help for online sextortion last year.
Joanne Barnes, chief executive of Nexus, a charity assisting victims of domestic and sexual abuse, stated that around 45 sextortion cases are reported to the police monthly, down from 70 at one point, but still a significant figure for Northern Ireland. Barnes stressed that these numbers likely represent only a fraction of actual incidents due to victims' embarrassment.
The PSNI confirmed receipt of Irwin's report and advises anyone targeted by sextortion to contact authorities, emphasising that victims, predominantly young men aged 15-23, should not let embarrassment deter them from reporting such crimes. The police stress that perpetrators are often patient and calculating, building trust before exploiting victims.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, asserts it actively combats sextortion by removing scammer accounts and assisting law enforcement. Tinder has also been approached for comment on the use of verified accounts in such schemes.
