Eight-year-old girl in Edinburgh becomes victim of sextortion via Snapchat impersonation and online content demands

Summary

An eight-year-old girl in Edinburgh became a victim of sextortion after someone impersonated her on Snapchat and demanded inappropriate content. The incident occurred at home using a personal device. The girl’s mother issued a warning to other parents through a community forum, revealing that the perpetrator had created fake accounts, hacked phones, and shared content online. Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating multiple reports of indecent images shared online in Edinburgh, received in February 2025. The headteacher of Gilmerton Primary School urged parents to check their children’s social media accounts, screenshot suspicious activity, block users, and report incidents to authorities. Snapchat stated it removes such content, locks violating accounts, and reports them to authorities, emphasizing its platform is for users aged 13 and over with added safeguards for teens.