AVON, Conn. (WFSB) – State officials are warning parents about an online group that has been linked to child exploitation, fake emergency calls and extreme violence.
A meeting was held at Avon High School Monday discussing a group called 764.
State experts say members of the group try to befriend vulnerable teens on gaming or social media apps. Then they convince them to do something that the group can use to blackmail them, like hurting themselves or others.
“They want these kids to suffer and the biggest takeaway from all of this is their end goal is to kill your children,” said Evan Lite, an FBI anaylst.
The FBI has linked it to more than 350 cases nationwide, but experts say most go unreported.
The group has already made contact with Connecticut teens.
In Vernon in 2023, a 17-year-old girl was arrested for calling in bomb threats at schools. But police later learned she was a victim of child exploitation.
“I think the most important thing is showing your children how these groups are manipulative,” said Evan Allard, Director, CT Intelligence Center.
He said the group changes names and can be based internationally. He is calling on parents to help save their children.
“I think the most important thing is digital literacy. Learning who is operating on the internet, how to protect yourself from revealing personally identifiable information online is a really critical first step,” he added.
Debra Steremberg walked away from the meeting with a plan that involves constant conversation with her teenager.
“It’s not a one time conversation. It’s ongoing. It’s going to be ongoing for a long time,” she said.
Ways to protect your children are listed below:
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