How a simple online request can result in a loss of control over your entire personal life.
A large-scale social media hacking scheme has been uncovered in the United States , which targeted hundreds of teenagers and young adults. The perpetrator of the attacks tricked people into accessing their accounts, obtained personal photos and videos, and then blackmailed the owners by publishing intimate materials.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced that 22-year-old Jamarcus Mosley of Mobile, Alabama, pleaded guilty to charges of computer fraud, extortion , and cyberstalking. Investigators found that Mosley had been gaining control of Snapchat,Instagram , and other platforms over several years .
The scheme lasted from at least April 2022 to May 2025. Jamarcus Mosley posed as known victims or used other social engineering techniques . After gaining access to their accounts, the attacker examined personal files and found intimate photos and videos. Then the blackmail began . Jamarcus Mosley demanded that they hand over full control of their accounts, send more explicit material, or transfer money. Otherwise, he threatened to publish the stolen data and block their accounts.
In one incident, a criminal contacted a 20-year-old woman from Kennesaw, Georgia, via Instagram, posing as a school friend. Under the pretext of restoring access to Snapchat, the woman provided a verification code. The obtained data allowed Jamarcus Mosley to take over the account and access personal photos and videos. After the hack, he sent the victim some of the materials and threatened to publish dozens of other posts.
The investigation also uncovered other instances of pressure on victims. In December 2022, the perpetrator stole intimate images from an 18-year-old Florida resident and threatened to publish them. After she refused to comply, the man posted the photos publicly.
Another incident involved a 17-year-old Illinois resident. The girl gave the access code to Snapchat's private "My Eyes Only" section, where personal files are stored. After gaining complete control of the account, Jamarcus Mosley demanded that she create a separate profile to communicate with him. The pressure continued even after she refused to comply. The perpetrator used the victim's account to contact her acquaintances, including the 13-year-old sister of another victim, and sent a Snapchat map image with her location.
The investigation was conducted by the Kennesaw Police Department with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, in Atlanta federal court.
A large-scale social media hacking scheme has been uncovered in the United States , which targeted hundreds of teenagers and young adults. The perpetrator of the attacks tricked people into accessing their accounts, obtained personal photos and videos, and then blackmailed the owners by publishing intimate materials.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced that 22-year-old Jamarcus Mosley of Mobile, Alabama, pleaded guilty to charges of computer fraud, extortion , and cyberstalking. Investigators found that Mosley had been gaining control of Snapchat,Instagram , and other platforms over several years .
The scheme lasted from at least April 2022 to May 2025. Jamarcus Mosley posed as known victims or used other social engineering techniques . After gaining access to their accounts, the attacker examined personal files and found intimate photos and videos. Then the blackmail began . Jamarcus Mosley demanded that they hand over full control of their accounts, send more explicit material, or transfer money. Otherwise, he threatened to publish the stolen data and block their accounts.
In one incident, a criminal contacted a 20-year-old woman from Kennesaw, Georgia, via Instagram, posing as a school friend. Under the pretext of restoring access to Snapchat, the woman provided a verification code. The obtained data allowed Jamarcus Mosley to take over the account and access personal photos and videos. After the hack, he sent the victim some of the materials and threatened to publish dozens of other posts.
The investigation also uncovered other instances of pressure on victims. In December 2022, the perpetrator stole intimate images from an 18-year-old Florida resident and threatened to publish them. After she refused to comply, the man posted the photos publicly.
Another incident involved a 17-year-old Illinois resident. The girl gave the access code to Snapchat's private "My Eyes Only" section, where personal files are stored. After gaining complete control of the account, Jamarcus Mosley demanded that she create a separate profile to communicate with him. The pressure continued even after she refused to comply. The perpetrator used the victim's account to contact her acquaintances, including the 13-year-old sister of another victim, and sent a Snapchat map image with her location.
The investigation was conducted by the Kennesaw Police Department with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, in Atlanta federal court.
