TRENTON, NJ — The FBI issued a stark warning this week about a disturbing rise in violent online networks, including one known as “764,” which are actively targeting children and vulnerable individuals in the United States and globally. These groups coerce victims — some as young as 9 years old — into producing explicit and violent content, often escalating to suicide livestreams.
The groups are targeting American teens, including those in New Jersey and New York.
Key Points
- FBI warns of growing online networks like “764” targeting minors with coercion and blackmail.
- Threat actors groom victims on common social media and gaming platforms.
- Victims are forced to create violent, sexual, or self-harm content under threat of exposure or physical danger.
According to federal authorities, the networks operate across widely used digital platforms including social media, messaging apps, and gaming forums. Perpetrators often pose as peers or love interests, gradually manipulating victims through grooming tactics until they are coerced into sharing self-harm or sexually explicit material.
“These networks use threats, blackmail, and manipulation to coerce or extort victims into producing, sharing, or live-streaming acts of self-harm, animal cruelty, sexually explicit acts, and/or suicide,” the FBI stated.
The actors, motivated by various personal drivers — including a desire for control, notoriety, or sexual gratification — typically record or distribute this material among network members.
Victims are then subjected to continued threats, including swatting and doxxing, if they do not comply.
The FBI notes that while many victims are young females between 10 and 17, individuals of all genders and ages may be targeted, especially those suffering from mental health conditions.
“Threat actors often groom their victims by first establishing a trusting or romantic relationship before eventually manipulating and coercing them,” the bureau added.
Physical signs of victimization may include fresh wounds, changes in behavior, or withdrawal from social activities. The FBI urges parents and guardians to watch for red flags, such as excessive secrecy online or the appearance of unexplained injuries. Receipt of anonymous digital or physical gifts may also indicate grooming or coercion.
The agency recommends vigilance in monitoring online activity and reporting any suspected abuse or extortion to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center or local field offices. Victims and families are also encouraged to seek support through mental health professionals and dedicated services such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s “Take It Down” platform.