E-Watch
A safety and crime prevention education and awareness initiative of the Winnipeg Police Service.
How to Spot Suspicious Social Media Accounts
In 2024, Cybertip.ca received over 2,300 sextortion reports, with 63% of incidents occurring on Instagram or Snapchat. In Winnipeg, cases of sextortion have skyrocketed over the last few years, with young men ages 16-21 most prominently targeted.
To help combat these criminals, Cybertip.ca has released tips on spotting suspicious social media accounts.
Three things you should look for to identify suspicious accounts are:
- Was the account recently created?
- Does the account have few followers, while following many accounts?
- Is the person behind the account really the person in the profile picture?
Read the Cybertip.ca Alert for more information on how to spot these accounts and what to do if your child has been victimized online.
Take Action
Every member of the community should be on the lookout for a potential bad situation. We all have a role to play in safety and crime prevention. Take Action.
If you see something, say something!
- Emergency or crime in progress, call: 9‑1‑1
- Non-emergency calls: 204‑986‑6222
- Report a crime online
More information
- View neighbourhood reports for residential break and enters and stolen vehicles.
- Visit CrimeMaps to view Crime Statistics in Winnipeg.
E-Watch is your direct connection to information about crime and crime prevention in your community. Thank you for choosing to stay informed and helping us create a culture of safety in Winnipeg.
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