ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The FBI is warning people about a new scheme in which online criminals are convincing children to commit violent acts either to themselves or against their community.   

“They’re going after kids on gaming platforms, on social media that are maybe looking for friends,” said Raúl Bujanda, special agent in charge of FBI Albuquerque. 

They’re the same old predatory strategies, but the FBI says criminals are using them to organize new, violent crimes. 

“They’re also not only just being a good friend, but they’re also sending them stuff, like physical things that they’ll send to their home. Whether it’s actual currency or it’s virtual currency or just gifts,” said Bujanda. 

Bujanda says predators are using those gifts to manipulate their young victims to do more. 

“Taking it to the level of them hurting themselves, like literally filming them cutting their arms or cutting some part of their bodies,” said Bujanda. “They’ll have them do acts of violence, like, literally, go do this thing. Could be as graphic as going and shooting a place up, or also even just filming them killing animals. Because this is what this group wants.” 

Bujanda says the “764” group is behind a lot of these attacks. It’s an international sextortion network, Bujanda says wants to stir society chaos. 

“At the end of the end of the day, that’s just another group that has a different, sick fetish and that are preying on our children,” Bujanda said. 

Bujanda says vigilance from parents and law enforcement will be the only way to keep these predators from racking up new victims.  

“Kids are embarrassed after they do it, but it’s out there, right? Those images are out there. So they’ll try to hide those things. So we have to continue to be really looking to see what our kids are doing, or more importantly, what are they trying to hide?” said Bujanda.