My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: FBI Warns Of Networks Targeting Children

The South Philly Review ran my Crime Beat column today.

You can read the column via the above page or the text below:

Over the years that I’ve covered the crime beat, I’ve seen violent crimes from vicious assaults to murder, but crimes involving children can still shock and disturb me.

I’d like to pass on the FBI’s Philadelphia Division’s’ warning about violent online networks that are targeting children.   

“With the back-to-school season underway, FBI Philadelphia is warning parents, guardians, and caregivers about the sharp increase in the activity of nihilistic violent extremists (NVEs), “764” and other violent online networks targeting and exploiting children and other vulnerable populations across the country, including our region,” the FBI’s Philadelphia Division stated in an advisory on September 23rd. “These online networks methodically target and exploit underage and vulnerable individuals, and it is imperative that the public learn about this threat and recognize warning signs exhibited by victims. Members of these violent online networks target vulnerable, often underage populations across the United States and around the globe through a method or tactic known as sadistic online exploitation. This is defined as targeting vulnerable populations including children to engage in self-harm, produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM), engage in acts of animal cruelty, sexually exploit siblings, and in some case encourage victims to attempt suicide.”

According to the FBI, these criminals often emerge from decentralized online networks and subcultures that glorify violence, mass killers, and self-harm.

“However, not all participants in these violent online networks are motivated by NVE. These subjects may be engaging in criminal activity for sexual gratification, social status, a sense of belonging, or for a mix of other reasons. These networks exist on publicly available online platforms, such as social media sites, gaming platforms, and mobile applications commonly used by young people. These violent actors target vulnerable populations to include children as well as those who struggle with a variety of mental health issues, such as depression, eating disorders, or suicidal ideation.”

The FBI notes that these criminals often groom their victims by first establishing a trusting or romantic relationship before eventually manipulating and coercing them into engaging in escalating harmful behavior designed to shame and isolate them.

“Many threat actors target underage females, but anyone—juveniles, adults, males, and females—can be targeted. Victims are typically between the ages of 10 and 17 years old, but the FBI has seen some victims as young as nine years old.”

The FBI urges communities to exercise increased vigilance when posting personal photos, videos, or personal identifying information, or direct messaging online.

“Although seemingly innocuous when posted or shared, the images and videos can provide malicious actors an abundant supply of content to exploit and manipulate or alter for criminal activity. Victims are vulnerable to embarrassment, harassment, extortion, or continued long-term re-victimization.

The FBI recommends that family, friends, and caregivers consider the following potential indicators and warning signs:

• Sudden behavior changes such as becoming withdrawn, moody, or irritable.
• Sudden changes in appearance, especially neglect of appearance.
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits.
• Dropping out of activities and becoming more isolated and withdrawn.
• A new online “friend” or network prospective victims seem infatuated with and/or scared of.
• Receipt of anonymous gifts, such as items delivered to your home, currency, gaming currency or other virtual items.
• Scars, often in patterns.
• Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bite marks, burns, or other wounds.
• Carvings, such as words or symbols, on the skin.
• Wearing long sleeves or pants in hot weather.
• Writing in blood or what appears to be blood.
• Threatening to die by suicide and openly talking about death, not being wanted or needed, or not being around.
• Idealization of mass shooting or mass casualty events.
• Family pets or other animals being harmed or dying under suspicious circumstances.
• Family pets uncharacteristically avoid or are fearful of your child or you.
• Law enforcement being called to the home under false pretenses (known as swatted or doxxed) by an unknown person.

The FBI Philadelphia recommends that anyone identifying criminal action and perpetrators contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com.