JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With summer break starting for schools across the region, FBI Jacksonville is urging families to stay vigilant and protect children from online predators and exploitation.
Children often spend more time on the internet during summer — on social media, gaming and messaging platforms — where offenders may pose as peers, gain trust and later use threats, fear or explicit content to exploit them. Shame and fear frequently prevent victims from reporting abuse, making awareness and open communication critical, the FBI said.
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“Online threats targeting children are increasing at an alarming rate, with crimes like sextortion, cyberbullying and online exploitation causing real-world harm,” Jason Carley, FBI Jacksonville’s special agent in charge, said. “As students spend more time online outside of the classroom, parents and guardians should remain engaged in their children’s digital activity and reinforce good online habits.”
Trends show a sharp rise in cybercrimes targeting minors, driven by sextortion, cyberbullying and online grooming. Violent online networks sometimes coerce children to engage in self-harm, animal cruelty or suicidal acts on livestreams, and some of these incidents have resulted in victims’ deaths.
These networks — often referred to as “764” — typically target underage females ages 10 to 17 but can prey on anyone who is isolated, has unfettered internet access or struggles with mental health issues.
In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 75,000 submissions involving sextortion and referred more than 5,700 cases involving minors to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. In 2025, Florida reported more than 600 sextortion complaints from people under 20.
Advice for children
- Keep your accounts private.
- Do not accept requests from strangers. Block or ignore messages from people you don’t know.
- Remember that once something is posted or sent, it can never be taken back.
- Be selective about information and pictures you share. Assume texts, photos and videos can become public.
- Understand that people can pretend to be anyone online and images can be altered or stolen.
- Be suspicious if someone you meet on one app asks you to move to a different platform; stop communicating if you feel uncomfortable.
- If you feel overwhelmed or victimized, ask for help, including from law enforcement. Do not be ashamed to report crimes.
Advice for adults
- Talk openly with your children about their online activity and possible victimization.
- Set limits on internet use and consider shutting down Wi‑Fi overnight.
- Know and maintain passwords to phones, tablets and computers.
- Spot-check devices to see what apps are used and what is being downloaded.
- Set social media privacy settings to the strictest level possible.
- Monitor who is communicating with your child and what is being said.
If you suspect your child may be a victim, do not try to handle the predator yourself. Contact local police, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or reach FBI Jacksonville at 904-248-7000.
To report cyber fraud or file a complaint, visit the IC3 website at ic3.gov. Additional resources are available from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at missingkids.org/netsmartz/resources.