Police in Amsterdam are investigating dozens of reports of teenagers who are being blackmailed via social media platform Snapchat.

The victims are told they have “bothered” someone and that they will have to “pay a fine”. If they don’t comply they or members of their family will die, the message reads.

“The threats are usually general in nature but sometimes the perpetrator seems to know who the family members are,” a police spokesman told broadcaster NOS.

The amounts asked for run into hundreds of euros with “discounts” for youngsters who name names of other potential victims.

The reports come mainly from the south of Amsterdam but reports are coming in from other parts of the city as well, police said.

Teenagers who are being blackmailed should get in touch and take an undetectable screenshot using another phone and hand it to police. The investigation is ongoing.