This article deals with mental health problems, including attempted suicide.
An American mother has recalled the tragic night her son was scammed and took his own life over fears intimate photos of him would be made public.
Seventeen-year-old Ryan Last, a straight-A student and boy scout from San Jose in California, received a message from a scammer posing as a young girl on a social media app in February.
The online conversation quickly grew intimate before the scammer started making threats at Last.
The scammer sent Last a nude photo and asked the teenager to send one of him in return. Once the scammer received the intimate photo, the cybercriminal immediately demanded $5000, threatening to make the photo public and send it to Last's friends and family.
Last said he couldn't afford to pay the full amount, so the scammer lowered his demand to $150, which Last paid from his college savings account.
Once the scammer received the money, the criminal kept demanding more money and put lots of "continued pressure on him".
An emotional Pauline Stuart, Last's mother, told CNN about the suicide note her son had left behind.
"Somebody reached out to him pretending to be a girl, and they started a conversation," Stuart said.
"He really, truly thought in that time that there wasn't a way to get by if those pictures were actually posted online. His note showed he was absolutely terrified. No child should have to be that scared."
On the night Last was scammed, Stuart had no idea this was occurring to her son and only learned about it once investigators reconstructed the events leading up to his death.
At 10pm, Stuart wished her son goodnight and just four hours later at 2am, Last had taken his own life.
The FBI described the scam as "sextortion" and said investigators have seen the number of reports from victims skyrocket.
The FBI told CNN the investigation into Last's death was ongoing but said there were over 18,000 sextortion-related complaints in 2021, with losses in excess of $13 million.
The bureau said the use of child pornography by cyber criminal to lure suspects also constitutes a serious crime.
"To be a criminal that specifically targets children - it's one of the more deeper violations of trust I think in society," said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Dan Costin, who leads a team of investigators working to counter crimes against children.
Costin said a number of "sextortion" victims do not report their incidents because they're too embarrassed.
"The embarrassment piece of this is probably one of the bigger hurdles that the victims have to overcome," said Costin. "It can be a lot, especially in that moment."
Stuart has urged parents to talk to their children about online scamming to make sure they're aware of it.
"How could these people look at themselves in the mirror knowing that $150 is more important than a child's life?" she said.
"There's no other word but 'evil' for me that they care much more about money than a child's life. I don't want anybody else to go through what we did."
Where to find help and support:
- Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
- Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
- Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
- What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
- Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
- Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
- Samaritans - 0800 726 666
- Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
- Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
- Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584
