Families across Kent are being warned to be on their guard after a spate of social media blackmail incidents.

Scammers have reportedly targeted Snapchat users by threatening to release private photos after gaining access to their accounts.

An alert, put out by Action Fraud UK and shared by Kent Police, warns that users have reported being tricked into handing over their login details.

Once the criminals have the details, which can also include 'two-factor authentication' codes, some victims are then being extorted for money with the threat of having private photos leaked online.

There have been more than 300 reports of accounts being breached across the UK since January.

In a message on their official twitter account, a Kent Police spokesperson implored anyone who used the app to be wary of anything that would request login details.

Parents are also being asked to warn their children about the scams, as it is feared that they could also be vulnerable.

The official Action Fraud UK advice is:

• Don't respond to messages that ask for login details or Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) codes.
• Use the report functions in Snapchat to flag spam messages, or accounts that may have been hacked.
• If you have been a victim of extortion, or attempted extortion, report it to the police.

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