Scammer allegedly blackmails man in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was told by a scammer Tuesday that they would publicly release unclothed photos of the man if he did not send money to a person in the Ivory Coast, a country in West Africa, according to a police report.

The Moses Lake Police Department responded to a report Tuesday night that a Moses Lake man had accepted a “phantom friend request” from an unknown person who appeared to be female, according to a law enforcement spokesperson. After the man sent the unknown person photos of his “upper body and leg,” the scammer threatened to post them online unless the man sent money to a third person in the Ivory Coast, according to a police report.

While the case is unusual, said MLPD Capt. Mike Williams, similar scams and threats of exposure have been made before.

Police were not immediately aware if the unknown female had asked for unclothed photos of the man before he sent them, or how much money the man was being blackmailed for. Police advised the victim to block the scammer from further contact.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.