Regarding extortion, authorities must conduct intelligence work to identify the centers of operation, as well as the various methods of extortion, and carry out preventative work, according to experts.
MURAL reported yesterday that of every 10 extortion cases reported to emergency numbers in the last five years, only 2.8 were formally reported.
Francisco Jiménez Reynoso, a Doctor of Law and research professor at the University of Guadalajara, estimated that most victims of extortion fall prey to it due to a lack of information about the crime and the methods used by criminal networks.
“People keep falling for it, and it’s due to a lack of awareness, a lack of information, and the very methodical, very systematic way in which organized crime operates. They play with the law of probability, just like salespeople do. A salesperson knows that if they knock on 10 doors, they won’t sell to all 10. They know that out of 10 doors they knock on, five will be slammed in their face, they’ll talk to two, and one will buy,” he said.
The academic stated that organized crime is behind extortion, as these groups tend to operate more than common criminals. Therefore, despite the low number of reports, authorities must conduct intelligence work to dismantle these operational centers.
“Where are the call centers located? First, in prisons, as the Federal Government has already stated; but there are other call centers operating out of private homes, in affluent neighborhoods. This is a modus operandi of organized crime, generating substantial profits within the organized crime network.
“These are structural networks, and sometimes they have the support, acquiescence, or complicity of state and municipal authorities, and very likely, the ignorance or collusion of federal authorities,” he added.
For the expert, intelligence work is fundamental, because since extortion is usually committed by organized crime, it can escalate into other crimes such as forced recruitment, kidnapping, and homicide, as these groups often resort to inhumane actions to erase evidence and eliminate witnesses.
“The risk our young people face through false job offers leads to forced recruitment through deception and, sometimes, voluntary recruitment.”
” “It can definitely escalate, it can go from threats and psychological pressure to physical violence or even kidnapping, and ultimately, the most precious thing of all: death,” he said.
Authorities must also identify new forms of extortion, as well as the resurgence of older methods, such as virtual kidnapping, in order to raise awareness and prevent victims.
“There must be intelligence, counterintelligence, and investigative work to carry out successful operations. Authorities must be very vigilant in their areas of cybercrime, and telephone extortion is extortion, sextortion. We must be very attentive to the new methods criminals are implementing this year,” he added.
Extortion attempts often come in the form of random calls or messages in which criminals seek to intimidate and deceive victims to obtain something in return.
Common methods include virtual kidnapping calls, in which the extortionist calls a person and, through deception, keeps them incommunicado, later demanding money for their release from a family member.
However, other methods exist, such as calls demanding money for an accident, an arrest, or a run-in with the authorities.
Another way criminals try to ensnare their victims is through calls or messages informing them about a credit card bonus, a fraudulent charge, a prize won, or an irregularity in a package delivery.
Therefore, it’s important to remember that it’s best not to answer calls from unknown numbers, and if you do and the caller becomes aggressive or deceptive, hang up immediately.
Source: mural
