SALISBURY — Police are warning the public to avoid sending things privately they wouldn’t want public after a man was extorted for sending a nude image.

The victim, a 19-year-old man, reported to police Monday he sent money to a person who identified as a girl on Snapchat, a smartphone application. After the man received an explicit image, he sent one of himself as well. The person then extorted the man for money, threatening to send the picture to his contacts if payment wasn’t made.

After two payments of an undisclosed sum, the extortion victim contacted police.

Sgt. Russ DeSantis of the Salisbury Police Department said officers are investigating the case, which remains open. DeSantis said people shouldn’t “send anything you wouldn’t want others to see.” On Snapchat, DeSantis said people can take pictures with another phone instead of a screenshot, which notifies the sender.

“If you put it out there, it’s out there. People have ways to get around the security online,” he said.

People who are victims of extortion should contact law enforcement, DeSantis said.