MIAMI, Fla. — The FBI Miami Field Office has issued a warning to parents about an increase in sextortion incidents involving young boys in Miami.
According to the FBI, sextortion begins when an adult contacts a minor over an online platform such as a game, app, or social media account. The predator, usually posing as a young girl, convinces a young boy to engage in explicit activity over video, and then records the video in secret.
Then they use the video to extort the victim for money to prevent the video from being posted online, according to the FBI.
“In many cases, the victim may feel embarrassed about coming forward to report this type of crime,” said Supervisory Special Agent Christina Bedford. “While this is understandable, we strongly encourage victims to report what has happened in order to stop further abuse and prevent harm to other children. Parents and caregivers play an important role in disrupting these criminals through awareness, education, and having frank discussions about online safety with their children.”
The FBI provided the following tips for parents to help keep their children safe:
- Be selective about what you share online, especially your personal information and passwords. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you or your children.
- Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
- Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that a person is who they claim to be.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on a game or app and they ask you to start talking to them on a different platform.
- Encourage your children to report suspicious behavior to a trusted adult.
Anyone who believes their child is a victim of sextortion should contact their local FBI field office.
