Durham police warn parents about online group that targets children through games and apps
Durham Regional Police say a network known as 'The Com' is targeting children, some as young as eight, on social media and gaming platforms. Police have listed behaviours parents can watch for.
In short
- What happened?
- According to CP24, Durham Regional Police have warned that an online group called 'The Com' is targeting children, some as young as eight, on social media and gaming platforms, using grooming and coercion.
- What was the warning sign?
- Police say to watch for several signs together, such as secretive phone use, withdrawal, mood changes, or a new online contact the child is unusually attached to or afraid of.
- What can you do?
- Talk calmly with children about who they chat to online and make clear they can tell you about threats or pressure. Contact the police if you have concerns about online activity.
What happened
According to CP24, police in Durham Region, Ontario, have issued a fresh warning to parents and guardians about "The Com", short for "The Community". Police describe it as an online group of predators that targets children through popular social media and gaming platforms.
Investigators say the group uses grooming, manipulation, coercion and intimidation, which can lead to violent or criminal behaviour. Police said children as young as eight have been targeted on platforms including Discord, Telegram, Snapchat, Roblox, Minecraft, Twitch and Steam.
Police said offenders often build trust, create secrecy through fear or shame, and pressure victims into unsafe activities. These can include sharing exploitative images, self-harm, or taking part in crimes such as hoax 9-1-1 calls, known as swatting. Children are often coerced without understanding how serious this is, police said, and threats such as exposing private information can be used to force compliance.
This is the second warning about the group this year. It follows a January threat made by phone to a school in Pickering, which was locked down for hours. Police have said that incident may have been connected to the group. They have made no arrests so far and have not released descriptions of suspects.
Warning signs
Police asked parents to look for patterns or clusters of the following, and noted that one sign alone may not be a concern:
- Use of encrypted apps such as Discord or Telegram without parents knowing
- Withdrawal, secrecy, mood changes or declining school performance
- Increased or secretive use of phones or other devices
- Interest in extreme or harmful online ideologies
- New online contacts the child seems unusually attached to, or afraid of
What families can do
- Talk openly and calmly with children about who they chat with online, and make clear they will not be punished for telling you about something frightening.
- Explain that nobody has the right to demand secrecy, images or risky acts, and that threats are a reason to tell an adult.
- Keep an eye out for several warning signs together rather than reacting to just one.
- Anyone with information or concerns about online activity can contact the police. Durham police gave 1-888-579-1520 for this investigation.
Tools can support these conversations but not replace them. QuietGuard's Kids & Family mode lets parents choose the trusted circle who can ring a child's phone, and the child cannot switch that protection off behind their back. It does not watch games, messaging apps or social media, so the situations described here still depend on trust and conversation at home.
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