WEST PALM BEACH, Fla (CBS12) — The dark corners of the internet have become breeding grounds for increasingly dangerous online networks, and federal investigators say one group in particular—known as “764”—is targeting teenagers, coercing them into violent and exploitative actions.
According to the FBI, hundreds of active investigations are underway involving “764“—a digital movement where predators befriend vulnerable children and teens through gaming platforms and social media.
Related article: Online predators push teens to extremes; FBI warns of 764 network’s deadly impact
“These criminals methodically target the most vulnerable members of society, our children and other at-risk individuals – by connecting with them online and then manipulating or coercing them into producing and sharing extreme gore content, child sexual abuse material, or engaging in acts of animal cruelty, self-harm, or violence,” the FBI Miami Division told CBS12 News.”
The FBI added, the online community uses manipulation to encourage chaos and criminal acts.
A Kentucky teen with alleged ties to the 764 group, is accused of making a phone call to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office last summer, threatening to blow them up.
“I am going to blow you up in 13 minutes,” the caller said. The man can also be heard saying, “I am at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.”
Deputies sprang into action, evacuating the headquarters and conducting an extensive sweep of the building, only to later discover the threat was a hoax. With the FBI’s assistance, PBSO tracked the caller across state lines, ultimately arresting Curtis Hodge in Kentucky mid-October and still remains behind bars.
“The FBI is determined to identify and stop members of these networks who are targeting children and other vulnerable populations. We need the help of parents, teachers, and others who may become aware that a child is in danger,” Jim Marshall FBI Miami Public Information Officer said in a statement.
Former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan warns that such groups represent a new and troubling trend in cyber exploitation.
“The FBI now sees this as a national security priority,” Kaplan, a local attorney, stated. “Child exploitation has moved beyond drug trafficking and sex trafficking—these bad actors can sit in a foreign territory, miles away, and use children here on U.S. soil to carry out nefarious acts.”
Anyone with information about these dangerous online groups is encouraged to report it immediately, reach out to the bureau at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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