A woman who was sent an explicit photo by a stranger on her birthday has been praised for the hilarious way she took revenge. 

Becky Holmes, 45, from Warwickshire, went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, earlier this month as a result of her practical joke.

Last year, the author - who boasts 118,000 followers - opened her Instagram Direct Messages to find she had been cyberflashed by a male follower.

In an attempt to get Becky's attention, the stranger had written 'happy birthday' on a piece of paper and exposed his genitals. 

Rather than ignore the message, Becky decided to use this opportunity to teach the follower a lesson - and tricked him into believing he had a deadly illness.

Author Becky Holmes (pictured), 45, from Warwickshire, went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter , earlier this month as a result of her practical joke

Her initial response read: 'Greg, mate, that's great and I appreciate the effort but I'm distracted by what appears to be a dangerous red mark on your stomach.' 

Becky, who has written a book about romance scams, then zoomed in on the cyberflasher's stomach and circled a spot in red. 

The man - who wasn't convinced by Becky's claims - then replied: 'What? It looks tiny. Probably a small spot or rubbing against my clothes.' 

Doubling down on the joke, the author told him: 'Greg, I have a degree in dermatology. I've seen these before in that position and it is often a sign of something more serious.' 

The cyberflasher responded: 'What do you mean in that position? It's just a spot, it doesn't itch and I've never noticed it before.

'How can a spot be serious? You've never had spots before? 

'It doesn't itch?? Oh s**t,' Becky said. 'Ok, stay calm for now!' 

Falling for Becky's joke, the man - who was growing increasingly panicked - said: 'Why is it bad it doesn't itch? I don't understand. Itching is a bad thing.

Becky's initial response read: 'Greg, mate, that's great and I appreciate the effort but I'm distracted by what appears to be a dangerous red mark on your stomach.'

Becky, who has written a book about romance scams, then zoomed in on the cyberflasher's stomach and circled a spot in red

The man - who wasn't convinced by Becky's claims - then replied: 'What? It looks tiny. Probably a small spot or rubbing against my clothes.'

The cyberflasher then decided to send another image of his stomach to Becky and insisted it was a 'good thing' he couldn't see any spots

Becky alleged that the cyberflasher was so spooked by the exchange that he shaved his stomach and made an appointment with a doctor

'It's just a spot. I was calm, you're making me not calm.' 

Becky continued: 'No itching is a sign of something healing - when a spot in that position doesn't itch, it means it's likely to be spreading poison. What we call "silently" [...]

'You're really worrying me here. The fact you haven't noticed being bitten or scratched is even more concerning. This could well mean it's coming from further within your body.'

The cyberflasher then decided to send another image of his stomach to Becky and insisted it was a 'good thing' he couldn't see any spots.

The author insisted: 'It's not a good thing. I'm so sorry [....] It's going to be a really difficult few months for you.'

The man then clapped back with: 'What the f*** does that mean? Look, I'm okay. There's nothing there.' 

'That's the nature of the condition,' Becky joked. 'You won't know until it's too late. I'm so sorry.' 

Dubbing Becky Holmes a 'genius', one fan replied: 'I can't believe he showed his cousin the pics!'

The cyberflasher then messaged back with: 'I feel fine. You haven't explained anything clearly, you're very confusing. Please look at the pictures again, it's just a spot.'

His final message read: 'I've shown my cousin the pictures as you really stressed me out earlier. 

'We're not an expert like you but she agrees with me, we can't see anything, especially in the second picture. If there's anyone you work with that could give a second opinion, that would help.'

Sharing screenshots of the messages with her 118,000 X followers last week, Becky alleged that the cyberflasher was so spooked by the exchange that he shaved his stomach and made an appointment with a doctor.

Dubbing Becky a 'genius', one fan replied: 'I can't believe he showed his cousin the pics!' 

Another added: 'This is one of the best responses to unsolicited pics that I've ever seen. 10/10 for effort.' 

'Think this has to be the the best tweet I’ve ever seen,' a third gushed.

Speaking to Channel 4 about the exchange last year, Becky said: 'I'm really really used to this kind of message so it no longer shocks me or horrifies me the way it used to. It's more just tiresome and disappointing.' 

The offence of cyberflashing only came into force on January 31 as part of the Online Safety Act and carries a maximum two-year jail term. 

In January, Becky published the book Keanu Reeves is Not in Love with You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud. 

Cyberflashing explained: How law change will help crack down on unsolicited nude images

• The new law came into effect on January 31 this year
• A person found guilty faces up to two years in jail
• Law covers deepfakes, downblousing and revenge porn

Lawyers can now consider charging anyone caught sharing deepfakes, downblousing images or cyberflashing under new guidance to help counter predatory online behaviours.

Cyberflashing typically involves sending an unsolicited sexual or nude image to victims via social media or dating apps, but can also take place through data sharing services with strangers such as Bluetooth and Airdrop – something which commonly happens on the transport network. 

The Online Safety Act has criminalised this behaviour and the Crown Prosecution Service will now be able to hold offenders to account through the court of law.

Those who send or provide unwanted images or films of genitals, will face prosecution and could find themselves on the sex offenders register, fined and or imprisoned for up to two years.

Prosecutors can now make charging decisions based on whether offenders intended for a victim of cyberflashing to be alarmed, distressed, or humiliated, or whether they as a culprit hoped to receive sexual gratification regardless of whether or not the recipient was alarmed, distressed, or humiliated.

It is also now a criminal offence to share intimate images or film without consent regardless of whether or not the perpetrator intended to cause the victim any harm.

Prosecutors have the power to apply the law in three different categories of so-called revenge porn from now on.

It will become an offence to share an intimate photograph or film:

a. without consent, b. without consent and with intent to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation, c. without consent and or for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

The new guidance also covers any threats to share intimate images where the victim or someone known to the victim fears that the threat could actually be carried out, or the offender is reckless as to whether there are any such fears.