The Dangerous Rise of Swatting and Doxing in Texas

(Dallas, Texas) - Your kids probably love playing video games with other East Texas kids online. It'll get to the point that you'll have to kick them off so they'll go outside for a little while. They'll grown and moan about it but will oblige.

Paying attention to what your kids are doing online is very important, especially with them home for the summer. There are groups out there secretly targeting your kids sometimes in an innocent game of Fortnite or other online channels. These groups will sometimes take things too far resulting in a scary and, on occasion, deadly outcome.

Groups That are Targeting Your Teens Online

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) put out a warning to parents of online groups that are targeting your teens, not only in East Texas, but all across the country. These online groups go by names that include 676, 764, CVLT, Court, Kaskar, Harm Nation, Leak Society and H3II. These groups will even spinoff and form other groups with other monikers just to throw off authorities.

These groups use social media or mobile apps to contact and threaten a teen into doing serious crimes like murder, harming animals or other acts of violence. They will also convince a teen to produce sexually explicit videos or photos that are then passed around online. The kids targeted by these groups age between 8 and 17-years-old.

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The Act of Swatting or Doxing

Another dangerous tactic used against a victim is either Swatting or Doxing. Swatting is where law enforcement is called about a false threat that would warrant a SWAT team showing up. We've seen this on the news sometimes with tragic results. Doxing is where the scammer will steal the personal information of a teen and post it online so the victim will comply with their demands.

These scammers are ruthless and do not care about the wellbeing of their victim. Some victims of doxing have committed suicide because of the embarrassment the threat causes. It's a dangerous threat to your teen.

The Warning Signs Your Teen was Targeted

The FBI encourages parents to talk to your teens about what apps or social media channels they are using. Let your teens know the dangers of posting videos or photos online as they can easily be taken and spread around no matter what the app says. Watch your children for signs they may have fallen victim to one of these attackers, especially if the attacker is forcing them into a self-harm or even a suicidal situation:

• Sudden behavior changes such as becoming withdrawn, moody, or irritable.
• Sudden changes in appearance, especially neglect of appearance.
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits.
• Dropping out of activities and becoming more isolated and withdrawn.
• Scars, often in patterns.
• Fresh cuts, scratches, bruises, bite marks, burns, or other wounds.
• Carvings, such as words or symbols, on the skin.
• Wearing long sleeves or pants in hot weather.
• Threatening to commit suicide and openly talking about death, not being wanted or needed or not being around.

What You, the Parent, Should Do

Parents, be vigilant. Make sure your teen knows that no matter the promises an app gives, anything they post for others to see can be taken and used for a purpose other than making their friends laugh. Make sure your teens know the dangers that exist online and how easily an attacker can get ahold of them.

If you feel your teen has become a victim, you can file a report through the following links:

• FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov
• FBI Field Office [www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices or 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324)]
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-THE LOST or www.cybertipline.org)

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