"Yahoo Boys" are gaining notoriety in online spaces as more people fall into this dangerous "sextortion" scam rising in the US and other Western countries.
Who are the Yahoo Boys?
"Yahoo Boys" refers to the informal cybercriminal network targeting children and teens to send them explicit images online.
To lure unaware victims, these bad actors populate dating sites and platforms younger people commonly use to look for "online dates."
"Yahoo Boys" often use fake identities to deceive people, mostly young women, to share personal information about themselves and later even explicit and sexual images.
The criminals will then threaten the victims' families and friends to release the pictures and videos of the victim unless they pay them, repeatedly.
According to the Network Contagion Research Institute, most of the "Yahoo Boys" came from Nigeria and West Africa where "financial sextortion" became a quick money source for many cybercriminal gangs.
Advice and instructional guides on how to become a "Yahoo Boy" are even widespread across Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, and YouTube to encourage others to join the multimillion-dollar scam, according to Wired.
Most of their crimes were reported in North America and Australia where the currency value is much higher.
Do Not Accept Anonymous Social Media Messages
Many of the "Yahoo Boys" scams started as a simple message on Facebook or Instagram, often looking for a supposed romantic partner.
Answering or engaging with these anonymous messages would only lead to the "Yahoo Boys" becoming more aggressive, insisting on interacting more and further leading the victim to trust the person on the other side of the screen.
The best course of action is to not engage with these accounts, especially if they do not have a mutual follower, as there is no proof that the person they present themselves as really exists.
Be Wary of AI-Powered Scams
With the rise of generative AI in scams and online frauds, it is easy to see how the technology is also used by the so-called "Yahoo Boys" to fool others into their schemes.
It is always recommended to check other accounts' profiles for any signs of AI-generated images and manipulated media before engaging to avoid falling for these scams.
A telltale sign that an account is fake or has malicious intent is the use of AI-generated profile pictures to lure victims into a sense of false security.
Checking messages for signs of AI is also a good step to see whether these anonymous accounts are being truthful.
