(Video above is previous coverage)CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — On Tuesday, the United States Department of Justice, in collaboration with U.S. Attorneys Matthew L. Harvey and Moore Capito, as well as law enforcement, launched the Mountain State Fraud and Diversion Task Force, which combats fraud across West Virginia.While at the task force meeting, officials discussed a type of fraud that targets vulnerable youth: sextortion.According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), sextortion occurs when a young person believes they are interacting with someone their own age online. Many times, predators will start the conversation with a threat by claiming to have revealing media of a child that will be shared if more revealing images are not sent. Mon County man charged after allegedly sending explicit images to minor After the predator receives a photo or video, they threaten to publish the content or use violence to convince them to send more photos or videos, beginning a cycle. Other times, they may also demand money.Sadly, West Virginia is no stranger to sextortion. In 2025, a Kanawha County teen took his own life after falling victim to sextortion, which led West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey to file a lawsuit against Snap Inc. West Virginia University has also issued community notices in the past following multiple reports of sextortion.In an effort to encourage online safety for minors and vigilance for parents, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia has created outreach flyers warning of specific apps and outlining steps to take.A list of apps and platforms that could be dangerous for minors includes:Snapchat: Disappearing message and location sharing can be misusedInstagram: Direct messages and fake accounts can hide dangerous intentionsKik: Allows anyone to contact kids anonymouslyWhisper: An anonymous app where predators can hide their identitiesTikTok: Predators use comments and messages to build trust and lureDiscord: Used to create private chats and servers to groom and isolateCalculator%: “Vault apps” hide photos, videos, and conversationsYubo: A social app that connects kids with strangers nearbyOfficials encourage parents to know what apps their child is using, talk openly about online dangers, and to monitor their child’s apps and activities without invading their trust.Law enforcement also encourages those who may see something suspicious or harmful to report it at report.cybertip.org or takeitdown.ncmec.org to help remove harmful content and prevent it from spreading.The full flyers can be read below.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
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