PITTSBURGH — The FBI is reminding parents about the serious risks of “sextortion’ and how to keep their kids safe.
The FBI’s Pittsburgh field office answered questions today about the growing crime, which officials say is becoming more common with advancements in social media and AI.
The FBI says victims are coerced into sending explicit images online.
Agents say that to help prevent this, parents need to look out for red flags.
“The warning signs could include depression, risky behavior, they’re kind of dissociating themselves,” Special Agent in Charge Christopher Giordano said.
Agents are also seeing victims targeted at younger ages.
While the FBI did not comment on current cases, this comes less than a week after the Peter’s Township High School senior class president was charged with running a sextortion scheme.
Only channel 11 was there when Zachariah Meyers was arrested last Friday.
Police tell us there are nearly two dozen underage victims.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
