LEE COUNTY, Fla. - A woman said her email account was hacked. She told Lee County Sheriff's Office that she is not being threatened by an unknown suspect with her own photographs.
The woman believed the person found her email address on Facebook.
"Revenge porn is a form of harassment. It's a form of abuse," Elizete Velado said. Velado is an attorney at Goldberg and Noone in Downtown Fort Myers.
Velado's firm is not involved with this particular case. However, she told 4 In Your Corner revenge porn has been a problem for years.
"It's really important for people to remember it's not the victim's fault when someone breaks into their computer," Velado said. "Breaking into your computer is like breaking into your home," she added.
The victim told investigators she was bombarded with messages. The unknown person wanted her to pay up. She told the deputy that the person would post the nude pictures of her.
Hackers like the one in this case have stayed slightly ahead of the laws.
"It's very difficult for the law to keep up with emerging technology and sexual cyber stalking takes many forms," Velado added.
Florida has laws against sexual cyber stalking. It allows victims to get compensated.
Arrests are few and far between because hackers hide behind IP addresses and proxy servers.
Velado hopes future laws will bring about justice.
"It's great that we finally got national attention on this. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with. The people that are doing this need to be held accountable," Velado said.
The woman in this case plans to press charges if and when the suspect is found. She submitted screenshots of the messages to investigators.
