FBI warns parents about new scam targeting teens

The FBI is alerting parents about a growing online scam that’s recruiting teenagers into cybercrime.

Investigators say cyber criminals are using social engineering to lure young victims they meet on video games and chat platforms like Discord. Many teens don’t realize they’re being pulled into schemes to hack large companies and steal sensitive data.

Special Agent Daniel Polk says this new threat, called the “comm” — short for community — is an online ecosystem where teens build connections and gain prestige by pulling off hacks.

“These are English-speaking young teenagers with technical skills who want the reputation of pulling off a hack,” Polk said.

The FBI says tracking these groups is difficult because they aren’t tied to a single website. Instead, they operate as a decentralized online community. To defend against attacks, the agency urges companies to use multi-factor authentication and stronger security measures.

Officials remind anyone who suspects fraud or suspicious activity to report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.