With the new school year beginning and many students returning to class armed with internet-enabled devices, Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran is warning parents, guardians, and students about the growing danger of online sextortion.
The warning follows recent alerts from the FBI about a sharp increase in cases where children and teenagers are coerced into sending explicit images online and then blackmailed by predators.
Specifically, the FBI recorded a 20 percent increase in financially motivated sextortion incidents targeting minors over a six-month period ending in March 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year.
Sextortion often begins on social media, gaming sites, or messaging apps, where perpetrators pose as peers or trusted acquaintances. They may offer gifts or build rapport before pressuring young people to share compromising images. Once obtained, the images are then used to extort victims for additional content or money under threats of exposure.
In one high-profile case in Maryland, a 28-year-old predator coerced over 100 minor girls into producing explicit content over four years, threatening to post their images unless they continued to comply. The FBI confirmed a 192 percent increase in such online enticement reports in 2024 compared to 2023.
Harran said sextortion can leave lasting emotional scars and stressed the importance of open communication between caregivers and children.
“The safety and well-being of our young people are our top priority,” Harran said. “As our students head back to school and spend more time online, it is imperative that we, as a community, are vigilant and informed about the dangers lurking in the digital world. Sextortion is a heinous crime that can have lasting impacts on its victims. We urge parents to have open and honest conversations with their children about online safety and to reassure them that they can always come to you for help without fear of reprisal. If your child is being targeted, please know that you are not alone, and resources are available.”
The sheriff’s office underscored the FBI’s reminder that young people being exploited online are victims of crime and should seek help immediately.
Authorities advise families to take the following steps if sextortion occurs:
- Do not delete messages or images. They may serve as evidence for investigators.
- Report the incident immediately to a parent, guardian, teacher, or counselor.
- Contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
- Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or report at cybertipline.org.
Earlier this year, Harran convened a field hearing to address online threats facing students. The session brought together lawmakers, law enforcement, and victim advocates to discuss prevention and possible legislative responses.
Mary Worthington, M.Ed., director of prevention and training for the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA), testified that technology is increasingly being used to exploit children.
“Reports show that 20 percent of teenage internet users say they have been the target of unwanted sexual solicitation, and according to Thorn’s 2022 report, one in three minors reported engaging in some form of online sexual interaction,” Worthington said.
“We have seen firsthand technology’s role in facilitating sexual violence and its impact on victims and families, from online grooming and sextortion to the alarming increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse images. The internet is an ever-changing landscape and presents significant risks; we must prioritize educating our youth about these risks and harms. We strongly advocate for legislation that requires continuing online safety education programs.”
As the school year begins, law enforcement officials hope the warning will encourage parents to speak openly with their children about online safety and to report suspicious or threatening activity before harm escalates.