Police in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai have arrested two men for blackmailing their lovers with personal sex tapes.

Tran Dinh Trong, 35, and Vo Hoang Tuan, 40, two suspects in two different cases have both been charged for blackmail, the provincial Department of Police affirmed on Thursday.

According to the case file, Trong became friends with a married woman named T. on social media some six months ago.

The two eventually decided to spend some ‘private time’ at a local motel, an encounter that was filmed by Trong on his smartphone.

In mid April, the couple had a conflict and T. wanted to break up with the man.

Trong responded by threatening to send their sex tape to T.’s husband and family unless she gave him VND10 million (US$438.3).

After the victim agreed to pay, Trong asked for an additional VND15 million ($657).

When T. hesitated at the additional request, Trong sent the footage to T.’s younger sister as a warning.

T. eventually reported the case to local police and a sting was set up by local officers at a hotel.

In a similar scheme, Tuan became acquainted to a married woman named L. on a social media site in January.

The two had sexual encounters multiple times, during which Tuan took many photos for ‘memories.’

During their two-month affair, Tuan borrowed VND76 million ($3,331) before claiming that he was unable to pay up due to a loss-making business.

As L. pressured the man to pay her the money, Tuan threatened to send the sex photos to her husband.

Tuan attempted to blackmail L. for another VND20 million ($876.6) before the victim reported the case to competent authorities.

Victims are also to blame

According to Lieutenant Colonel Chau Van Sang, an official from the police department in Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province, people often take advantage of naïve and desperate partners.

In the two cases, both victims share some responsibility for committing adultery with the suspects.

In many cases, the female victims were willing to have their sexual encounters filmed, which opened them up to blackmail, said Nguyen Thanh Son, a judge from the People’s Court in the southern city of Vung Tau.

These women often allowed themselves to be extorted by their once trusted partners in order to keep their personal lives together.  Eventually they become fed up and report the case to police, Son continued.

An investigator also warned that teenage girls are a typical target of these types of criminals, who often hunt for prey on social media.

Parents must protect their children by paying attention and warning them of the potential dangers from strangers, the investigator suggested.

It is advisable that people immediately report blackmail to authorities.

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