JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – FBI Jacksonville officials held a news conference on Tuesday morning to alert parents, guardians and school leaders about a sharp increase in sextortion cases and online predators targeting children in Northeast Florida.
According to the FBI, criminals are moving faster and are targeting children where they feel safest — online and in their homes.
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FBI officials were joined by St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick and Duval County Public Schools Police Chief Jackson Short.
Officials shared new data, warning signs and steps everyone can take to protect children online.
“The internet is a powerful tool for education and connection, but criminals exploit its anonymity to target children,” FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley said. “These predators are relentless and adapt quickly. By recognizing the warning signs, parents and caregivers can better protect their children. Taking action early can also stop a predator from harming another child.”
FBI Jacksonville said it has seen a 60% increase in sextortion complaints filed with its Internet Crime Complaint Center through July 2025 compared to 2024, with losses close to $1 million.
Sextortion can start on any site, app, messaging platform, or game where people meet and communicate and ask children for explicit photos. Officials said criminals threaten the children to get them to send more. The shame and fear children feel when they are caught in this cycle often prevent them from asking for help or reporting the abuse.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our children and we will do everything in our power to hold offenders accountable,” said St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick. “I encourage parents and guardians to be proactive about monitoring online activities and educating yourself on internet safety.”
FBI Jacksonville gave a list of do’s and don’ts for parents to protect their children from sextortion:
Do
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Closely monitor children’s use of online services.
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Conduct regular internet searches of children’s information to monitor the exposure and spread of their information on the internet.
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Consider credit or identity theft monitoring to check for any fraudulent use of child’s identity.
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Have open communication with your child/children to help prevent cybercrime.
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Keep all text, email and other message interactions as evidence.
Don’t
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Don’t delete messages from the offenders.
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Don’t give detailed information on children when creating user profiles. Use initials instead of full names, avoid using exact dates of birth, etc.
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Don’t post hoax threats online.
Click here for more information from the FBI.
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