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FBI agents say it’s one of the most horrifying trends online. Predators are convincing teens to harm themselves and sometimes take their own lives.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The FBI is asking parents to be on alert for a dangerous online scheme targeting kids and teens.
Agents say sextortion is now taking on a new form, with predators convincing victims to physically harm themselves. One of the ring leaders was arrested in North Carolina earlier this year.
FBI agents say this is one of the worst —and fastest-growing — trends they’ve seen: online predators convincing victims to hurt themselves and in some extreme cases, to take their own lives.
“So we see more sadistic groups operating online, and they’re looking to target vulnerable children,” James C. Barnacle Jr., FBI Charlotte’s Special Agent in Charge.
Predators are combing the internet, looking for victims in a new, horrific bullying scheme with devastating consequences.
“They’ll build up rapport with the victim so the victim thinks they’re a friend, and quickly that turns into trying to encourage the victim to harm themselves,” Barnacle explained. “We see a variety of self-harm being conducted by victims. Carving initials of the criminal actor into private parts, we see cutting, and we have seen quite a few suicides of the last couple of years.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice arrested two ringleaders. One of them was in North Carolina, in the High Point area.
Court documents show the predators help train other predators to groom victims and where to find those victims. From social media apps to gaming sites, even text messages on their phones. Barnacle says the bad guys specifically troll self-help websites.
“If people have an eating disorder or people have emotional disorders, they may look on different websites to find other people that have something in common, right?” Barnacle explained. “So our criminal actors seem to target those websites and target those social groups where they’re talking about challenges that people face.”
Barnacle says parents need to monitor all of their kids’ activities.
“Pay attention to what your children do online. And that’s hard to do, right?” Barnacle said. “Kids want to be private. You want to give your kid the benefit of the doubt, give them the opportunity to be private, but you’ve got to talk to them about their online hygiene. Who are they talking to? Who are they communicating with?”
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