New South Wales residents have increasingly become targets for blackmail and extortion, after the state led the country with the largest increase of the crime.
Rates of blackmail and extortion rose by 122 per cent, or 1029 victims, in the past year, according to figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Western Australia followed with a 64 per cent rise, or 137 more victims.
The majority of the country’s 3300 victims were young men, with most aged 24 years or younger.
StickmanCyber founder and cyber security expert Ajay Unni said victims are being blackmailed with their data, internet browsing history or explicit images and videos.
“It should not be overstated how stressful and potentially damaging these extortion campaigns can be,” he said.
“The younger generation, they’re getting into the workforce, they’re having multiple relationships and that’s what’s leading to hackers and extortionists to view them as low-hanging fruit.”
Unni said some of the extortion and blackmail attempts were merely false threats, with criminals using the “spray and pray” method.
“They send it to thousands of victims, whoever it catches it will be part of the scam,” he said.
“We are all online, it’s much easier for blackmailers and extortionists to target people in large numbers”
Others obtain leaked data through the dark web or publicly available information to target an individual or business.
Unni said the surging rates of extortion signalled how criminals are moving online.
“Make no mistake, online extortion is now rampant in this country. Australia’s latest blackmail and extortion figures are alarming, but in line with many other countries,” he said.
“They highlight the degree to which the internet has transformed crime in this country, and how it is always changing.”
Anyone who falls victim to a blackmail or extortion attempt is urged to ignore the email or message and contact authorities to report the incident. 
