Palm Springs Police Department warns of new ‘sextortion’ scam on LGBTQ+ dating apps

The Palm Springs Police Department is warning the public about a new "sextortion" scam affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

According to Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills, the department is, “...working on a sextortion case where the victim attempted a hook-up on Grindr. The suspect(s) are likely juveniles from out of town. When the victim met for the hook-up, they took his cell phone and extorted money out of him for trying to hook up with a child.” 

The department is now asking people who use apps like Grindr to be cautious when making contact with people, “...who are young in appearance” as it could be a set up.

News Channel 3's Tatum Larsen will be speaking with Chief Andy Mills today about the rise of this scam and how people can protect themselves from falling victim to it.

News Channel 3's Tori King covered the rise of "sextortion" scams targeting teens last month. You can view her full story here.