TROY, Mich. (WXYZ) — The FBI is sounding the alarm on what they call an explosion in extortion schemes targeting children.
Just this year, law enforcement has received over 7,000 reports of kids and teens being coerced into sending explicit images online and extorted for money.
This crime is referred to as "financial sextortion." It's happening all over the country including in Michigan.
The targets are primarily young boys between the ages of 14 and 17 years old, but the FBI has interviewed victims as young as 10 years old.
"There is a constant window in our house — I think in everyone's home — that was not there when we were their ages," said Nayiri Karapetian, a mother of three from Troy.
Karapetian says the age of smartphones and social media made parenting a lot harder.
Kids are now facing safety threats in the physical world and the digital one.
"They have to be on the laptops basically in the kitchen with us present and if they are in there doing their homework, we are constantly checking. But I check browser history every night," Karapetian said.
Karapetian has two girls and one boy between the ages of 9 and 13 years old. She says the dangers that exist online are the reason none of them have phones.
"I share real stories with my kids of children that were victims of online predators," Karapetian said. "I show them and I actually tell them what happened."
Over the past year, the FBI has been tracking a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion. They've identified at least 3,000 victims, mostly young boys.
The scheme usually starts through social media or video game chat rooms.
"The conversations, you start to feel that there is a comfort factor and next thing you know, a request is made," said Andy Bartnowak, a retired FBI agent. "Send me a picture and then if you do that, they might ask for a more explicit picture and once that happens, they've got you."
Bartnowak says criminal groups often operating outside of the U.S. will use the pictures against the minor for money.
"They are scaring them to the point where the kid is so afraid to go to their parents. They are so afraid to go to law enforcement that they end up taking their own life because they feel like that is the only way out," Bartnowak said.
According to the FBI, financial sextortion schemes have resulted in more than a dozen suicides in 2022. Bartkowiak says those deaths were preventable if the kids had just reported it to law enforcement.
"I know there is embarrassment, I know there is some shame and your parents might be upset, but it is certainly better than the alternative," Bartnowak said.
If your child does get caught up in a sextortion scheme, you can the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children website for help. The site allows you to report incidents to their CyberTipline, and it even walks you through the process of removing your child's sexually explicit pictures from the internet.
"The best hope is to work with our international law enforcement partners and get cooperation to go and get these individuals," Bartnowak said.
Karapetian says it's not just about parent control. It's about communication.
"It is just the reality that they need to be aware of the truth, I think is power. It is going to give us hopefully more safety," Karapetian said.
A lot of kids will be home for the holidays and will likely spend more time on their phones. The FBI says talk to your kids about the safety risks that exist online.
If you or someone you know is in need of help, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential support for those in distress 24/7 by calling 988.
