Most parents have never heard of many of them but predators, cartels, and global scam networks use them every single day to target kids.

If you don’t know what they mean, your child is already at adisadvantage.

FINANCIAL SEXTORTION: The fastest‑growingonline crime against minors — run by globalcriminal groups who can empty a family’s bank accountand destroy a child’s mental health in hours.

FRIEND‑OF‑A‑FRIENDSEDUCTION STRATEGY: Predators no longer approach kids as strangers. Theyinfiltrate friend groups, mimic classmates, and build trust through socialcircles kids already believe are safe.

APP‑TRANSFER TRAPS: A predatorstarts on Instagram or Snapchat… then moves a child to a dating app, encryptedchat, or payment platform where parents can’t see a thing.

NUDES ONLINE — IT’S A TRAP: Teens think sending aphoto is private. Criminals know it’s leverage. One image can become blackmail,extortion, or lifelong exploitation.

SCAM FARMS & NUDIFY SITES: Industrial‑scaleoperations overseas use AI to strip clothes off photos, generate fake nudes,and mass‑produce extortion content targeting kids.

OPEN AI IN GAMING & CHARACTER AI: Predators nowuse AI‑poweredavatars and NPCs to groom kids inside games — blendingfantasy, flattery, and manipulation in ways adults never see.

GEOLOCATION SOFTWARE: One tap can reveal a child’sschool, home, daily route, or real‑time location. Kids don’t understand the danger. Criminals do.

E2EE (END‑TO‑ENDENCRYPTION): A safety tool for adults but a hiding place for predators.Once a child is moved into an encrypted chat, parents and platforms losevisibility.

764: A global criminal network responsible for large‑scalesextortion of minors that is expanding faster than law enforcement can keep up.Also includes a number of subgroups.

F2P GAMES & FREEMIUMS: “Free” games that aren’tfree at all — designed to keep kids online longer, expose them to strangers,and normalize in‑game purchases and private chats.

If these terms are new to you, that’s exactly why thispodcast matters.

Kids are navigating a digital battlefield with enemies theycan’t see and tactics they don’t understand. Parents can’t protect theirchildren from threats they don’t know exist. Being educated as a parent isfoundational, and then talking to your kids is the next step.

It’s not about fear. It’s about giving your kids the toolsto protect themselves and recognize the dangers. It’s about giving families thetruth, the tools, and the language they need to protect those they love in aworld that has changed faster than anyone expected.

Purchase the Kindle or paperback versions of the book DigitalWarfare: Our Kids on the Frontline on Amazon (search for Opal Singleton) orat https://MillionKids.org for the PDFand audio versions of the book. This is a must have for anyone wanting to know more and what to do.

Most people have heard the word “sextortion.”

Almost no one understands how radically, and dangerously,it has evolved.

Parents are still relying on advice from five, ten, evenfifteen years ago… while predators have upgraded to AI‑driventactics, global money‑transfer systems, geolocationtools, and industrial‑scale scam farms. The gap betweenwhat families think keeps kids safe and what’sactually happening online has never been wider.

Every single day, approximately 60,000 reports ofpotential child exploitation land at NCMEC. And roughly 84% of those casestrace back to criminals outside the United States. Many are criminals who willnever face our laws, our courts, or our consequences.

Meanwhile, the numbers at home tell their own story: 1out of 6 boys and 1 out of 7 girls have already sent a nude.

But of course, we tell ourselves: “not my kid.”

My book Digital Warfare: Our Kids on the Frontlineexposes the truth most adults don’t want to face: that millions of criminalsaround the world now have direct, unfiltered access to our children. They cangroom them, recruit them, manipulate them, and extort them and do it all from aphone in their pocket.

Kids believe it won’t happen to them.

Parents pray it won’t.

But hope is not a strategy.

We would never send our children into a physical warzonewithout training, protection, or a clear understanding of the enemy. Yet everyday, we send them into a global digital battlefield of 5.5 billion peopleonline, including cartels, organized crime groups, and AI‑poweredpredators without every talking to our kids andnaming the threats.

This podcast pulls back the curtain.

It’s not about fear. It’s about clarity.

It’s about giving families the truth, the tools, and thelanguage they need to protect the kids they love in a world that has changedfaster than anyone expected.

Purchase the Kindle or paperback versions of the book onAmazon (search for Opal Singleton) or at https://MillionKids.orgfor the PDF and audio versions of the book.

The podcast may contain sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.

Countless kids regularly unwrap their very first phone, tablet, or gaming device and in an instant, they step into a digital world most parents never had to navigate at their age.For many families, this is the first time their child has ever been online. And that moment comes with real risks that most adults don’t see coming.In this podcast, we break down what every parent needs to know before handing a device to a prepubescent child or first‑time user. One of the most misunderstood dangers is something called “Open AI Sourcing.” Parents often assume platforms like Roblox are safe simply because they’re marketed to kids. But here’s the truth: only about 15% of the games on these platforms are built by the company itself. The rest come from outside developers, by people you’ve never met, with motives you can’t verify.Just because you’ve played one safe game with your child doesn’t mean the next one from the same company is safe.Every game, every chat, every “character” interaction needs an adult’s eyes on it.And when kids talk to bots or AI‑driven characters, they need to understand what that really means. It’s not a friend. It’s not a peer. It’s a programmed system and anything they say can be collected, stored, sold, and shared. Parents should vet every character or bot their child interacts with, making sure it aligns with the family’s values and online reputation.We also talk about the behavioral red flags that signal a child is uncomfortable or in over their head online:stress, secrecy, anxiety, hiding devices, borrowing phones, or suddenly needing money.These are moments when your calm presence matters most. Your child needs to know you believe them, you’re on their side, and nothing they tell you will make you love them less.Digital trust isn’t built in a crisis but it’s built in everyday conversations.Ideally, these talks happen before a child goes online, but it’s never too late to start.If you want to understand what’s really happening behind the screen, and how to protect your child in a world that’s changing faster than any generation before them, this is a podcast you won’t want to miss.

The podcast content may contain sensitive topics. Listenerdiscretion is advised.

This holiday season, millions of kids unwrapped their veryfirst phone, tablet, or online device.

And with that gift came something far bigger than mostparents realize: instant access to a world of 5.5 billion people  including strangers, scammers, cartels, andcriminal networks who know exactly how to disguise themselves as the “cuteclassmate” or “new friend” your child thinks they can trust.

Today’s digital world isn’t the one we grew up in.

Artificial intelligence, global money-transfer apps,geolocation tools, and deepfake technology have created a landscape where achild can be manipulated, pressured, or exploited long before they even knowthey’re in danger. And the hardest part? Most kids won’t tell a parent whensomething feels wrong. They’re terrified of being embarrassed… or losing theirphone.

So how do we build trust? How do we teach our kids tonavigate this global digital world with confidence, values, and real-worldsafety skills?

That’s exactly what we’re diving into on this episode. Pleasejoin us to explore how to teach your child values for online relationships and how to recognize when they might be in danger. 

The podcast contains sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.

In just the past few years, more than 40 young people, mostly boys ages 13–17, have taken their own lives after becoming victims of financial sextortion. They were not reckless kids. They were victims.Many were some of the most promising young people in America: smart, faith-based, goal-driven teens. Many had already chosen a college. Some were award-winning athletes, academic standouts, or community leaders.And in case after case, their grieving families said the same thing:“We had never even heard of financial sextortion.”That must change IMMEDIATELY.We can never again lose young lives because society doesn’t want to hear uncomfortable truths. We can never again assume, “My child would never fall for that.” Most teens believe they are too smart to be fooled but tens of thousands of them are wrong.The crime of sextortion has changed and almost no one recognizes it.For more than 15 years, Million Kids has worked on the front lines educating parents, teens, grandparents, educators, law enforcement, and mental health professionals. Yet our hearts break every time another case appears as another family is devastated, another future lost because critical information never reached them in time.Here’s the reality:Every teen we talk to believes they’ll recognize catfishing. They won’t.Most parents, and even pastors, believe their kids would never send a nude.One in six teens already has.Knowledge is power. And in this case, knowledge saves lives.We are urgently asking you to listen and then share this podcast and our videos with everyone you know. Parents. Teens. Coaches. Youth leaders. Educators. Churches. Schools.Please don’t wait until it’s personal.Listen now. Share immediately. A life may depend on it.

(The podcast may contain sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.)

What if the bad news you don’twant to hear is the very thing that could save a young person’s life?
Would you listen, really listen, during the time it takes to learn?

What if one fact… one warning… one moment of awareness could be the reason your child, grandchild, student, or teen in your life survives a predator’s trap?
Would you stop everything and pay attention?

Recently, our team at Million Kids learned of the devastating loss of 15-year-old Bryce Tate from Cross Lanes, WV. During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered the truth: Brycehad become a victim of financial sextortion.

This must never happen again.
Not to another family. Not to another community. Not to another child.

And yet it will… unless we talk about it and people choose to hear what’s uncomfortable, painful, and urgent.

Most adults don’t want to hear about financialsextortion. It feels dark. Negative. Scary.
But we ask you one thing:

If listening to one podcast could save a child’s life… isn’t it worth it?

In this episode, Opal Singleton, author of Digital Warfare (release pending), breaks down how financialsextortion actually works in today’s digital world.Not the version people think they know, but the new, explosive, high-speed version almost no one is prepared for.

The rules changed. The predators changed. The technology changed.
But most families haven’t.

Cartels and criminal networks, equipped withhigh-speed internet, target American teens with ruthless precision. They are blackmailing our kids for money, for power, for psychological control. And the consequences are catastrophic.

In just the past few years, more than 40+ bright, successful, promising young people, most of them boys, have takentheir own lives after falling victim to financial sextortion.

Forty families shattered.
Forty futures stolen.
Forty tragedies that didn’t have to happen.

Please—listen to this podcast.
Educate yourself.
Learn how these crimes unfold in real time.
Learn what signs to look for.
Learn how to prepare the young people in your life before they are targeted.

Silence won’t protect our kids. Awareness will.

This is not “just another podcast.”
This is a warning.
A wake-up call.
A lifeline.

And it could save a life you love.

(The podcast may contain sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.)

This is a very important podcast and one that every parent, teacher, coach, and faith-based leader should hear.

Yes. It happened again. In November, a West Virginia 15-year old teen boy took his own life after becoming the latest victim of a sextortion scam.

Are we ready to say NEVER AGAIN should we lose a brilliant young person to sextortion because they didn't know. Because their parents didn't know. Because their pastor didn't know. Because their teacher didn't know. Because everyone wants to believe "it would never happen to my child."

THIS IS FOR EVERY PARENT, GRANDPARENT, TEACHER, PASTOR, YOUTH MINISTER, SPORTS COACH, CIVIC LEADER AND ANYONE WHO IS INVOLVED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.

Education and a conversation can make a difference. We take a look at the devastating impact of sextortion on young people and it is time for us all to say NEVER AGAIN. Are you ready to step up and help us get the message out there to parents, teachers, coaches and the faith-based community?

(The podcast may contain sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.)

None of us chose the time, place, or circumstances we were born into and yet we spend our entire lives navigating the ripple effects of those beginnings. And while we rarely control when our story ends, we do have power over the stretch in the middle. That middle span is critically important and for the next generation, it looks nothing like it did for the generations before them. Our kids are growing up connected to 5.5 billion strangers, shaped by technologies that can distort truth, rewrite identity, and blur the lines between reality and deception. We have to ask: How do we parent a generation living in a world most adults don’t fully understand? How do we guide them spiritually and morally? How do we equip them with digital survival skills when the rules keep changing faster than we can learn them?Imagine the teens in your life, their energy, their questions, their potential. Now fast-forward just a few years as they become adults. They’ll be stepping into a world shaped by technologies we can barely predict. The pace of change isn’t slowing down; it’s accelerating.That’s why the conversations we have right now matter more than ever. It is important to raise a young person that can define their values, recognize truth from altered truth, be able to interact with millions of people that may want to access, groom, recruit and influence them in ways that the older generations would have never encountered. These are not small talks. These are deep, uncomfortable, transformative conversations. So where do we begin?Start with history. Help them understand just how extraordinary and unprecedented this moment in time really is. The more they understand the world they’re growing up in, the better prepared they’ll be to thrive, not just survive, in it. Yes, they’ve been handed incredible tools but with that comes a level of exposure, pressure, and vulnerability no generation has ever faced.This episode dives into the urgent responsibility we share to prepare, protect, and empower the young people growing up in this unprecedented digital age.

(The podcast may contain sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.)For more than fifteen years, I have spent my life combating child sex crimes, especially online exploitation of minors. People say, it is all so negative. Nobody really wants to hear about it, and even more people seem to think that it is the kid’s fault. They should know better than to send a nude on line. Honestly, it is not that simple.

With artificial intelligence, mass audience live streaming, geo location software and the many other technological advancements that we are bombarded with every day, EVERY ONE of us are at risk of being exploited online at some day in the future. But when it happens to a child, a teenager, it can change their life forever.
Recently, several organizations published the latest statistics of cases where minors were exploited. NCMEC the largest organization with a hotline to ask for assistance showed more than a 50% increase in online enticement cases in the first six months of this year. Cases involving Generative Artificial Intelligence (DEEPFAKES) increased from 6,835 to over 440,000.

Our world has changed. Our kids futures, their lives, their safety is at stake and it is critical that every parent, grandparent, pastor, educator, civic leader and anyone who just cares about kids, MUST stop and educate themselves about this issue. We cannot afford to lose an entire generation of kids because “it is hard to hear”. Online exploitation, for adults and kids is life changing, but it is especially life altering when you are a hormonal, competitive teenager, who believes their life is ruined.

Online exploitation of minors is NOT necessary. It is a conversation; it is understanding the new universe you live in. It is about preparing this generation of young people to live in a globally connected world with 5.5 billion other people and understand that a significant percentage of those individuals could cause you harm. It is about teaching kids to define what is a good relationship and what is a harmful relationship BEFORE they are ever allowed online. It is a call to leadership to prepare this generation of young people to live in a globally connected community using technology with respect and responsibility.

The podcast may contain sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.Part 2 - Many times parents find it difficult to talk with their teen about the risks of online communication. The teen is often defensive (fearing they may lose access to their device). Or they may meet you with "Oh Mom/Dad, I will know if I am being catfished". Or even worse, "you just don't understand". Parents often say it is like they are talking to a brick wall. They are concerned for their child and yet know they are a good young person who means well (most of the time), but with all the changes taking place in technology, how can the parent be sure they won't be exploited? For those of you who follow Million Kids weekly "In the News" articles we are all acutely aware that the risks of being exploited online whether you are a teen or an adult, has never been greater. During this podcast we will explore some of the ways to have productive and eye opening dialogue with your family to help them understand the world they live in. We will discuss some of the new technologies and what to look out for and how to share it in a positive and thought provoking way with the young people in your life.