Web scam tragedy probed by police

Officers confirmed they are investigating claims Daniel Perry died after being lured into a webcam chat by scammers who then demanded money and threatened to share the footage with his family and friends unless he paid up.

The 17-year-old, from Fife, Scotland, is the latest young person thought to have taken his own life as a result of cyberbullying.

News of the police investigation came as a funeral was held yesterday for 14-year-old Hannah Smith, from Leicestershire, who hanged herself after she was allegedly subjected to cruel taunts on the social media site Ask.fm.

It has also been reported that Daniel had previously been urged to commit suicide by anonymous users on the same website about three months before his apparent suicide. Its operators have been criticised for not doing enough to prevent abuse.

The apprentice mechanic died on July 15 after falling from the Forth Road Bridge, reportedly less than an hour after blackmailers allegedly told him he “would be better off dead” if he did not pay up.

He is said to have believed he was talking to an American girl using the online video phone service Skype before the scammers told him the conversations had been recorded and would be shared with his friends and family unless he transferred the cash to a specific account.

West Yorkshire Police issued a warning over a similar scam in March after a man in his 20s from Leeds was blackmailed in the same way.

He was conned out of £240 after being persuaded to perform a webcam striptease by a stranger he met online who claimed to be a Californian woman.

Detective Sergeant Michael Casey, from North West Leeds CID, said at the time he believed the scam was happening all over the world but rarely reported.

Daniel’s mother, who asked not to be named, said she wanted to make other children and parents aware of the dangers.

She said she wished she could tell her son “nothing is ever that bad that you have to kill yourself” and “nothing is worth taking your own life over”.

She added that, when she feels strong enough, she wants to do something to prevent other young people going through the same thing.

Elaine Chalmers, manager of ChildLine Scotland, said cyberbullying was becoming as common as playground bullying and it was important young people were aware of the dangers.

“It’s absolutely heartrending that a young person could be deceived in such a way, with such a tragic outcome and our thoughts are with this young man’s family,” she said.

“The internet is part of lives and communities now and we have to ask young people and parents to think about that, so just as we would want children to take care of themselves in a city centre or in park somewhere and we would talk to them about staying safe there, we obviously have to educate them about staying safe on the internet.

“If you’ve only seen a static picture of someone online they may not be who they say they are.

“It’s important not to send people pictures of yourself or take part in video calls if you aren’t sure who you are speaking to.”