FBI teams with the NCAA to help athletes avoid sexual exploitation

INDIANAPOLIS — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has teamed up with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to launch a program aimed at combating the sexual exploitation of college athletes whose private images are increasingly targeted online. This collaboration was announced on Monday, as the FBI stated that bad actors often target athletes through phishing tactics, password and PIN theft, and by posing as social media customer service representatives demanding urgent password resets.

Shohini Sinha, assistant director of the FBI's Victim Services Division, noted that the increased use of social media by athletes, particularly due to name, image, and likeness (NIL) activities, has amplified their vulnerability to exploitation.

The partnership between the FBI and the NCAA aims to educate athletes about the risks associated with online threats. These threats include the theft and subsequent posting or sale of private images, which can lead to sextortion. In sextortion cases, athletes may face harassment, stalking, or even have their stolen content posted on their own social media pages.

While the NCAA and the FBI do not have specific statistics on the number of athletes victimized by such schemes, the collaboration will focus on prevention efforts. Jon Duncan, the NCAA Vice President of Enforcement, emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating that they will do everything in their power to help prevent these crimes and provide support to those impacted by them.