Criminal gangs exploit AI bots to extort young Australian men online

Criminal networks are increasingly targeting Australian men and boys with sexual extortion schemes that rely on AI-generated fake personas and automated bot accounts. South Australia Police received 220 reports of image-based abuse and sextortion in the most recent financial year, up from 170, and the total financial loss reached $217,000, driven by a few high-value cases such as one victim who paid $53,000. The eSafety Commissioner explained that scammers use generative AI, face-swapping and voice-cloning to create convincing lures, then shift conversations to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.

Mental-health professionals from Headspace Australia note the trauma can result in suicide or self-harm, urging families to discuss online consent and safety. Researchers at UNSW highlight that large language models enable the rapid creation of bot-driven accounts, while the Australian Institute of Criminology finds more than one in ten adolescents have faced sextortion, though few report it. Authorities advise victims to block perpetrators, report incidents, and seek support.