FBI says cybercriminals are hacking into victims’ online accounts to steal their intimate pictures
In Brief
12:38 PM PDT · August 11, 2026
The FBI is warning that cybercriminals are hacking into the social media accounts of adults and children to steal their intimate explicit images and videos.
The perpetrators rely largely on social engineering tactics to target people, the alert said, and victims are often extorted, or their stolen content published online.
“Victims often face re-victimization through harassment, sextortion, stalking or other targeted attacks, such as advertising stolen content on a victim’s own social media page,” the FBI wrote.
These types of crimes have been known for years. But the FBI’s public alert could indicate that these incidents are now on the rise, according to Rachel Tobac, the CEO of the security awareness training firm SocialProof Security. The FBI did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment.
Tobac said that these attacks especially target young boys, and that these attacks are “a...
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