An extortion scam targeting residents in Thunder Bay has police issuing a warning.

Police said they have received multiple reports of people receiving threatening messages.

They are told that explicit images or videos of themselves will be posted online unless they pay a fee.

Fraudsters may request payment in the form of gift cards, e-transfers or cryptocurrency, according to police.

“These scammers are frequently located outside of Canada and do not have possession of any genuine images or videos of the individuals they are attempting to extort,” police said in a news release.

“Anyone receiving these kinds of messages should disregard them and not respond. Do not send any form of payment.”

Family members and friends are urged to speak to those who may be vulnerable to being targeted by this type of scam.