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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...-fife-23712000

Police in Fife are investigating claims that a 17-year-boy killed himself because he was being blackmailed on the internet.

It is thought Daniel Perry had become involved in a scam where victims are befriended and tricked into making explicit webcam recordings.

These are then used for blackmail.

It has also emerged that the teenager had previously been urged to commit suicide by anonymous users on the social media website ask.fm.

The site has been linked to the deaths of other youngsters.

Hannah Smith, 14, was found hanged at her home in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, on 2 August, and is thought to have killed herself after being bullied on the website.

Her funeral is due to be held in her home town on Friday.

Several messages were sent to Daniel on the site about three months before he took his own life on 15 July.

'Kill yourself'

One of the messages read "kill yourself mate" while another said "you need to let a blade meet your throat".

Other users involved in the conversations at the time condemned the messages and pledged their support to the teenager.

Daniel, an apprentice mechanic from Dunfermline, died after falling from the Forth Road Bridge.

He was described as appearing happy and close to his family but they were unaware that he was being blackmailed.

It appears he had been having online conversations with someone whom he believed to be a girl around his own age.

The day he died the teenager had read a message on his laptop saying images or video would be made public and shared with his friends and family if he didn't pay money into an account.

He was warned that he would be better off dead if he did not transfer the cash.

Less than an hour after replying to the message he had killed himself.

Daniel's mother has said she wants to raise awareness of the dangers of internet blackmail.

Police are urging anyone who is experiencing similar cyber-bullying to report it.

'Report button'

Claire Lilley, senior policy analyst at the NSPCC, told the BBC's Today programme this was the first time she had come across extortion of a young person on the internet.

"We have seen plenty of cases coming through ChildLine where children are experiencing serious cyber-bullying at the hands of their peers and also being groomed by sexual predators," she said.

"But this is the first time we have really seen extortion happening, via the internet, of a young person.

"Children and young people love the internet to learn, explore and connect with people like them all over the world.

"But it's about teaching them that not everyone is who they say they are and teaching them how to respect one another in terms of their behaviour online."

She reiterated calls for a "report button" on social media sites and said more should be done to tell young people where they could go for help.