COPS are issuing advice and urging people to be careful about how they conduct themselves online after recent reports of a distressing scam involving webcams.

The scam typically involves an offender, who normally purports to be an attractive young woman, adding potential victims on Facebook, Skype or via internet chat rooms.

A spokesman from West Mercia Police said: “The offender then engages in conversation with the victim before offering to perform a sexual act via webcam.

“The victim, who is normally a man, will then be encouraged to reciprocate believe it is only for the view of their new ‘friend’.

“The offender will actually be recording it and they will then play the video to the victim or publish it online with a link for him to view it.

“The offender will then threaten to publish the footage online or send it to the victim’s friends and family unless he pays a certain amount of money.”

It is believed that the blackmailers are often living overseas and request a payment via Western Union.

The scams can cause huge distress to the victims and West Mercia Police is urging people to consider how well they know and trust someone who they only communicated with over the internet.

The spokesman added: “Always be careful about who you engage with and think very carefully about what you are being asked to do.

“Always consider what the potential outcome could be.

“If people do end up being a victim of this crime, please call 101 and report it to the police.”