Federal investigators are sounding a fresh alarm about a disturbing online trend: criminals breaking into social media accounts to swipe private, explicit photos and videos, then using that material to extort or publicly shame victims. The advisory, issued by the FBI, underscores a threat that security experts say may be escalating—one that disproportionately ensnares minors and young adults. Main Developments According to the FBI's public alert, attackers are employing a mix of social engineering tricks to hijack accounts, including brute-forcing passwords that were leaked in earlier data breaches, impersonating customer service agents from Instagram and other platforms, and sending phishing emails with lookalike login pages. Once inside, they often harvest intimate content, then extort victims or post the material online. Victims frequently endure repeat harm through harassment, sextortion, stalking, or even having stolen images advertised on their own social media pages, the bureau warned. The agency also noted that student-athletes are a frequent target because their public profiles make them easier to identify and approach. Read also: ChatGPT Desktop App Finally Arrives for Linux Users Security expert Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security, told TechCrunch that these incidents have been recognized for years, yet the FBI's decision to issue a public alert may signal a worrying uptick. She emphasized that young boys are especially vulnerable, calling the problem "a big public health issue" because some victims are driven to self-harm. Background This form of cybercrime is not new; law enforcement has documented similar schemes for over a decade. What has changed is the scale and sophistication of the attacks, fueled by the widespread availability of breached credentials and the ease of crafting convincing phishing lures. The FBI's latest advisory builds on prior warnings, but its focus on social media account takeovers—rather than just device theft—reflects how much of our personal lives now live in the cloud. Why It Matters The stakes go far beyond privacy. For victims, the theft can lead to severe emotional distress, reputational damage, and in extreme cases, self-harm. Because the content is digital, it can be copied and redistributed endlessly, making the harm near-permanent. The FBI's alert serves as a reminder that even ordinary social media users are in the crosshairs, not just celebrities or public figures. What's Next The FBI is urging individuals to take preventive steps: use unique passwords stored in a password manager, enable multi-factor authentication, and be wary of unsolicited messages claiming to be from social media companies—which typically do not reach out to customers unprompted. The bureau also advises against storing intimate pictures in online accounts altogether. As these attacks evolve, expect further guidance from law enforcement and security researchers, but the onus remains on users to lock down their digital lives.