Threat of '764': Online predators that address children on video games and social media in Bay Area and beyond, says FBI

San Francisco (KGO) – A warning for parents from the head of the San Francisco FBI, Sanjay Virmani. “There are victims here in the Bay area that are targeted.”

An international network of predators called “764” apparently uses innocent video games to aim for children in violent and cruel way. The FBI has just announced the arrests of two leaders “764”, but the danger is still very real.

The I team reporter Dan Noyes worked with the investigation team at ABC News and the story.

I have been an investigative reporter for decades and it's about the most worrying story I have seen. Parents need to know that the game that their child plays could perhaps lead a very dangerous and violent path. I would like to warn you – some of these words and pictures are worrying, but these are very important information.

A warning, this story could be worrying for some spectators

A mother and daughter don't want them to see their faces, know their names or where they live. They only break from the terror “764”.

The mother told us: “They wanted her to take her life and she was afraid.”

The mother also asked that we replace her voice with a computer -generated person, but the words are all hers.

She explains how predators scan online games like Minecraft and Roblox for young girls. They also search “X”, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook groups about self-harm and eating disorders, for girls who may be particularly at risk.

At the age of 15, her daughter suffered fear and depression when a '764' member contacted her, and several others closed.

“Some of them made them cut their user names into them,” said the mother. “And basically what they ask of the victims are still getting worse and worse.”

Relatives: FBI has opened 250 investigations that are associated with violent online network, “764”, says Beamter

The mother confirms what the investigators tell us – as soon as 764 members have sensitive information or a photo of a girl, they threaten to complain about them – their family or school if they do not do what they want.

For additional pressure, '764' members sometimes call false reports on crisis in the victim's house. So the police arrived – a process called “Swating”.

It happened to this mother and daughter.

“And the swating happened because she wouldn't kill any of our cats. So that was the same person who tried to get her to take her life.”

… and to live it.

She also says that she sent her daughter, who was only 15 years old at the time, a suicide manual, which was submitted in the last federal complaint against alleged 764 leaders, Prasan Nepal, 20-year-old residents of North Carolina, with the user name “Trippy” and Leonidas Varagiannis, a username, a username, from Greececece. He went after “war” and is now fighting against delivery.

“There are various motivations that some of these actions can really advance,” said Virmani. “You could know what we call an acceleration ideology, which essentially, as you know, are looking for society.”

The special representative responsible for the FBI office of San Francisco confirms that the agency carries out more than 250 investigations, each of its 55 exterior offices throughout 764.

Virmani added: “And so the FBI works hand in hand with our partners, our federal, state and local partners for training, awareness and cooperation in order to really fight this threat.”

More: Dublin murder comes from the conversation between suspects and victims of discord, says the police

The FBI has arrested several prominent members of '764' in recent years, including 28-year-old Henry Ayala from San Fernando Valley, who was only charged with children's pornography last month, and 47-year-old Richard Densmore from Michigan, who was convicted of 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting a child.

Densmore said: “I have small children who cut themselves and strange (beep).”

Densmore spoke before his arrest of Discord.

“And I draw it up,” he said. “I have recorded other people and I'm part of a cult like a really bad cult.”

“This group is also a terrorist threat,” said Becca Spinks. “They try to get children to commit terrorist acts, school shootings and things of this kind.”

Spinks is a self -defense lawyer, a competitive shooter and a private detective who has been researching '764' for years, asks the help of victims and their families and provided the law enforcement authorities.

Becca Spinks: “Taking the managers was a really good first step, but it is anything but over. We still have a long way to ensure that we check this and make sure that nobody else steps on the plate to lead the group now.”

Dan Noyes: “How does that end?”

MOTHER: “How in, how can we stop them?”

Dan Noyes: “Yes.”

MOTHER: “I don't want to be pessimistic, but at this point it feels too big. It is only this disease that has spread all over the world. Could the child be in her bedroom next door that does the most terrible things on the other side of the world, and the parents don't know.

The daughter of this mother should testify in at least one case. It could be more.

The victims are young, but some of the predators – several teenagers of young people were arrested.

Incidentally, victims can also be male. Conclusion: Watch your children – so important to participate in what they are doing online. The companies, including Minecraft, Roblox and Discord, all say that they are aware of the problems and take measures to combat those who would prove children.

Take a look at other stories from the ABC7 News I team.