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Image: Symbol of the terrorist organization 764; via Wikipedia.
The FBI is sounding the alarm on a disturbing new form of online extremism spreading across the U.S. Known as 764, this violent, nihilistic group has infiltrated social platforms and gaming communities with the express intent of grooming and terrorizing young people, especially teen girls, Louisiana-based investigative journalist, Kirwan Chawla reported on her website yesterday.
While SurvivorsRights.com primarily focuses on sexual abuse and assault, the grooming tactics and psychological trauma inflicted by 764 are devastatingly familiar. Like many survivor cases we cover, the pattern begins with trust and ends in coercion, blackmail, and irreversible harm.
A Network Built on Exploitation and Destruction
According to FBI officials, the agency has more than 250 open investigations into 764, with victims identified as young as 9 years old. Every one of the FBI’s 55 field offices is now involved in combating the threat, indicating the scope is not only national but possibly global.
The group originated as a spin-off from neo-Nazi online networks and now operates under its own brand of nihilistic violent extremism. Its members have reportedly abandoned racial ideology in favor of one chilling goal: the downfall of humanity. And they aim to start with the most vulnerable: kids.
“They befriend them. It’s all friendly in the beginning,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Percy Giles III of the FBI’s New Orleans Division. “But once they get those compromising photos, that’s when the blackmail begins. They force these young people to harm themselves or worse.”
How 764 Operates: Grooming, Sextortion, and Coercive Control
Much like predatory individuals in sexual abuse cases, 764 members target children where they feel safest: on gaming platforms, social media, and private chat groups. Investigators say the group uses traditional grooming strategies—building trust, offering attention, and posing as peers—before escalating to psychological warfare.
One of their primary tools is sextortion. Teens, especially girls under 17, are manipulated into sharing intimate photos. Those images are then weaponized to blackmail them into acts of self-harm, violence, or even recruiting other victims. Some are coerced into harming animals. Others are pushed toward suicide.
In particularly horrific cases, 764 members have conducted swatting attacks—calling in fake emergency threats to dispatch armed law enforcement to the homes of victims, a tactic known to result in traumatizing and sometimes deadly outcomes.
A National Crisis, Not Just a Local Issue
“Every FBI office in the country is dealing with 764 in their state,” said Giles. “This is not isolated to one city or one platform. It’s everywhere.”
The FBI has launched a special task force focused on Nihilistic Violent Extremism and urges communities to report any suspicious activity immediately. A recent arrest in Vernon, Connecticut revealed the depth of the group’s influence when a former honor student was found to be plotting domestic terror attacks alongside a 764 follower overseas.
Her devices contained graphic content—self-harm, pornography, violent propaganda—offering a window into how quickly victims can be pulled into a dark, manipulative web.
What Parents Need to Know
Digital safety expert Kati Morse Lebreton emphasizes that the internet is now the central hub for kids’ social lives, and that parents must treat it seriously.
“Most kids are going to want to be online. That’s where their social currency is exchanged,” she said. “It doesn’t mean they’re sneaky or bad—it means that’s where their world is.”
She encourages open, ongoing conversations between parents and children about what they do online, who they talk to, and what to do if something feels wrong. Warning signs include:
- Sudden secrecy about online behavior
- Self-isolation or withdrawal from favorite activities
- Evidence of self-harm
- Creation of multiple social media or gaming accounts
- Messages from unknown or strange individuals
The Link to Suicide and Self-Harm
Giles noted that many victims show early signs of suicidal thoughts—something all too familiar to survivor advocates.
“One of the things that we’re super concerned about is self-harm and these adolescents committing suicide or significantly injuring themselves,” he said.
Parents are urged to ask tough questions and take immediate action if a child expresses suicidal ideation. These are not just passing phases; they are red flags in a growing mental health and safety crisis.
Where to Report and How to Help
The FBI is urging families to set boundaries around technology, become familiar with the apps children use, and normalize the act of reporting unsafe behavior. Suspicious activity can be reported online at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Parental controls may help, but they are no substitute for trust and communication.
“This group thrives on targeting the vulnerable,” Giles said. “But when parents, law enforcement, and communities work together, we can break the cycle of exploitation and save lives.”
