Light Rain Fog/Mist 45°
Tag:

Online Safety

Police & Fire
'Just Send Me Something Sexy': CT Man Inappropriately Messaged 13-Year-Old, Police Say 'Just Send Me Something Sexy': CT Man Inappropriately Messaged 13-Year-Old, Police Say
'Just Send Me Something Sexy': CT Man Inappropriately Messaged 13-Year-Old, Police Say A Connecticut man has been arrested after he allegedly sent inappropriate messages to a 13-year-old boy for months over Instagram. The New Haven County man, 27-year-old Michael Bernaud of Astonia, was arrested on Wednesday, April 17, according to Connecticut State Police. Bernaud met his victim at a grand re-opening event at a restaurant (which the boy’s parents took him to) in December 2023, police said. The young teen then joined an Instagram group for fans of said restaurant, the name of which was not released by police to protect the victim’s identity.  It was then that the vi…

SHARE

by Sophie Grieser
Police & Fire
'Pig Butchering' Scams: Police In CT Warn Of Fraudulent Investment Schemes 'Pig Butchering' Scams: Police In CT Warn Of Fraudulent Investment Schemes
'Pig Butchering' Scams: Police In CT Warn Of Fraudulent Investment Schemes Authorities are warning Connecticut residents to be wary of complex investment scams targeting victims through online platforms such as dating apps and social media.  In an announcement on Tuesday, March 26, Connecticut State Police warned that there has been an increase in "pig butchering" scams involving scammers convincing victims to invest money into a fake trading platform.  According to state police, the scammer will first contact the victim through dating apps, social media, or professional networking platforms. They will then build trust with the victim over several weeks …

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
News
Man Sexually Assaults Boy Outside His New Canaan Home: Here's His Sentence Man Sexually Assaults Boy Outside His New Canaan Home: Here's His Sentence
Man Sexually Assaults Boy Outside His New Canaan Home: Here's His Sentence A 35-year-old man from New York will spend decades in prison for enticing a teenage boy to engage in sexual activity with him at his Connecticut home, officials announced.  Westchester County resident Leland Robinson, of Mount Vernon, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for enticing a 14-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity with him, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Friday, March 8.  According to federal officials, in February 2019, when Robinson was 31 years old, he posed as a high school student on a social media application a…

SHARE

by Ben Crnic
News
Man, Age 21, Charged With Sexually Assaulting CT Girl, Police Say Man, Age 21, Charged With Sexually Assaulting CT Girl, Police Say
Man, Age 21, Charged With Sexually Assaulting CT Girl, Police Say A Western Massachusetts man has been nabbed for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Connecticut girl for several months. Hampden County resident Michael Luciano, age 20, of Springfield was arrested on a warrant on Friday, Dec. 2. South Windsor Police arrested Luciano following an investigation that determined that starting in October 2021 he met the girl online and had a physical relationship with the girl over the course of several months, said Sgt. Mark Cleverdon, of the South Windsor Police. Luciano turned himself in at South Windsor Police headquarters and was charged…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
News
'Please Call The Police': Woman Held Hostage Uses Grubhub To Get Help 'Please Call The Police': Woman Held Hostage Uses Grubhub To Get Help
'Please Call The Police': Woman Held Hostage Uses Grubhub To Get Help A New York woman being held hostage and sexually assaulted was finally rescued after using a food delivery app to call for help. Westchester County restaurant The Chipper Truck Cafe, located in Yonkers, said it received the desperate plea for help Sunday, June 19, via a customer order on Grubhub. Written in the app’s “additional instructions” box was the message: “please call the police his going to call me when u delivered come with the cones please don’t make it obvious.” In a Facebook post, the restaurant’s owner said staff immediately called 911 and reported the message to police. …

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
News
Don't Let Them Break Your Heart: FBI Issues Alert For Romance Scams Don't Let Them Break Your Heart: FBI Issues Alert For Romance Scams
Don't Let Them Break Your Heart: FBI Issues Alert For Romance Scams While Valentine's Day is a time for romantic gestures, the FBI has issued an alert to the public about romance scams.  The agency said in an alert on Monday, Feb. 14, that the scams take place when a criminal adopts a fake identity online to get the victim's trust and uses the close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. "The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable," the FBI said. "Con artists are present on most dating and social media sites." The FBI said eventually the scammer will ask the vic…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Suspect Nabbed In Sex Assault Case, CT State Police Say Suspect Nabbed In Sex Assault Case, CT State Police Say
Suspect Nabbed In Sex Assault Case, CT State Police Say A 22-year-old man in Connecticut is facing charges for allegedly sexually assaulting a teen, State Police announced. Torrington resident Jacob Joseph Haag, of Litchfield County, was arrested by Connecticut State Police investigators following an investigation into alleged sexual assault. The investigation into Haag was launched in late March, police said, when troopers received a report of a possible sexual assault involving a 15-year-old that happened in the Town of Goshen. According to police, investigators spoke to the teen, who said that a man she met online had picked her up near her …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Arranged To Have Sex With 13-Year-Old From Greenwich, Police Say Man Arranged To Have Sex With 13-Year-Old From Greenwich, Police Say
Man Arranged To Have Sex With 13-Year-Old From Greenwich, Police Say A man has been apprehended after arriving in Connecticut believing he was going to be having sex with a child, police announced. Detectives in Fairfield County from the Greenwich Police Department’s Special Victims Section had been engaged for several weeks in an internet undercover sexual predator investigation. The suspect believed one of the detectives was a 13-year old girl and began extensive conversations which included him sending explicit text messages indicating specific sex acts he wanted to engage with what he believed was a juvenile child, said police.&n…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Child Tax Credit Payment Scams COVID-19: Alert Issued For Child Tax Credit Payment Scams
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Child Tax Credit Payment Scams Opportunistic fraudsters have taken advantage of some consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic, this time targeting child tax credit payments that have been sent out to assist families. The IRS recently issued an alert after it began sending tens of millions of dollars to families, though scammers have been attempting to pull a fast one over on some to steal thousands of dollars in federal benefits. According to the IRS, scammers have been reaching out to families using emails, text messages, and through social media, asking to verify personal information to receive the child tax credit payme…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Greenwich Officers Arrest Area Man For Enticing Child For Sex, Police Say Greenwich Officers Arrest Area Man For Enticing Child For Sex, Police Say
Greenwich Officers Arrest Area Man For Enticing Child For Sex, Police Say A Fairfield County man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to entice a juvenile to engage in sexual activity. Rashad Tao Salaam, age 41, of Bridgeport, was apprehended on Friday, Aug. 13, by Greenwich Police following a weeklong investigation, authorities said. The department was made aware that an adult who was sending inappropriate text messages to a 13-year-old child, said Greenwich Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella. During the course of the investigation, detectives from the  Special Victims Section posed as the juvenile victim.  The suspect, aware that the origi…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Charged With Kidnapping After Missing NY 15-Year-Old Found In Virginia Man Charged With Kidnapping After Missing NY 15-Year-Old Found In Virginia
Man Charged With Kidnapping After Missing NY 15-Year-Old Found In Virginia A man is facing kidnapping charges after allegedly taking a 15-year-old Long Island boy he met online out of state. Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances during which the missing special needs boy was found in Virginia early on Wednesday, June 30. The boy was reported missing by his family on Tuesday, June 29 at approximately 1:30 p.m., after he was last seen leaving his home at 11:30 a.m., police said.  Following an investigation, detectives determined the boy had been communicating with a 20-year-old man residing in Tennessee through an ins…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Police Investigating 'Computer-Generated' Threat At High School In Fairfield County Police Investigating 'Computer-Generated' Threat At High School In Fairfield County
Police Investigating 'Computer-Generated' Threat At High School In Fairfield County Police are investigating a threatening phone call made to a. Fairfield County high school that caused the school to cancel after-school activities. The incident took place around 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 29, when Trumbull Police investigated an incident at Trumbull High School where a phone call was made to high school staff threatening the safety of the school, said Lt. Brian Weir. Trumbull High School staff were also made aware of these threats so they took precautions to secure the school and assist police with the investigation, Weir said. The threat was left on an administr…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
News
Silver Alert Issued For Girl Who's Gone Missing In Fairfield County Silver Alert Issued For Girl Who's Gone Missing In Fairfield County
Silver Alert Issued For Girl Who's Gone Missing In Fairfield County A Silver Alert has been issued after a 12-year-old girl went missing in Fairfield County. Evelyn Santos-Oliveira was last seen on Saturday, Oct. 31 at her residence in Bridgeport, police said. She is 5-foot-5, 200 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. The photo above of Santos-Oliveira wearing a brown coat is the most recent image of her, Bridgeport Police said. She was believed to be wearing a white-and-black dress with flowers at the time of her disappearance. Police say a silver vehicle arrived at Santos-Oliveira's house during the time period she went missing. The car is believed…

SHARE

by Daily Voice
Police & Fire
Teen Charged With Breach Of Peace Following Online 'Chatter' Directed At New Canaan HS Teen Charged With Breach Of Peace Following Online 'Chatter' Directed At New Canaan HS
Teen Charged With Breach Of Peace Following Online 'Chatter' Directed At New Canaan HS This story has been updated. A 17-year-old juvenile has been charged with breach of peace for allegedly posting worrisome "chatter" online that was directed at New Canaan High School. The New Canaan teen was issued a juvenile summons following an investigation by New Canaan Police, said Lt. Jason Ferraro. The department had an increased presence at the school on Friday, Jan. 17, after several students voiced concerns after seeing the online posts. School officials contacted police after they were contacted by the students. No specific threat was made, school officials said. But out of an…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Police Issue Alert For Unclaimed Funds Email Scam Don't Fall For It: Police Issue Alert For Unclaimed Funds Email Scam
Don't Fall For It: Police Issue Alert For Unclaimed Funds Email Scam Police in the area are cautioning local residents of a recent email scam that has been making the rounds throughout the region. One police department, located in Rockland County, reports it just received a scam email from “Rupnarain Kamal” stating that the recipient of the email was due a payment of $22,583,112.00 as a beneficiary for an unclaimed fund at a South African bank. “Back in January, we posted about a scam email we received in the (police department’s) General Email Account Mailbox,” the Ramapo Police Department posted online. “Well, on (Monday), July 22, we received the same ema…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
CT Man Sentenced For Enticing Minor To Engage In Sexual Activities CT Man Sentenced For Enticing Minor To Engage In Sexual Activities
CT Man Sentenced For Enticing Minor To Engage In Sexual Activities A registered sex offender from Connecticut will spend nearly 20 years behind bars after enticing a teenager to engage in sexual activities. Windsor resident Andrew Cunningham, 39 has been sentenced to 216 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to charges late last year. In March 2017, Cunningham began communicating with a 13-year-old girl on Omegle, a website and mobile app designed to pair strangers for text and video chants. Cunningham first posed as a 17-year-old, before stating that he was 25 years old. Cunningham and his victim spoke throug…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Disturbing 'Suicide Challenge' App Aimed At Teens Sparks New Warning Disturbing 'Suicide Challenge' App Aimed At Teens Sparks New Warning
Disturbing 'Suicide Challenge' App Aimed At Teens Sparks New Warning An ongoing suicide “game” involving a person dubbed “Momo" targeting teens on a prominent messaging app is sparking a new warning. “Momo” has become a viral challenge that first asks people to add a contact on the WhatsApp app, and they are then encouraged to commit self-harm or suicide. The “game” has spread nationwide. The challenge has since evolved to include other apps and social media platforms. According to Fox News, police in Mexico say that “Momo” started in a Facebook group, where people are encouraged to make contact with an unknown telephone number. “Computer Crime Investigator…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Kids Spend More Time On YouTube Than With Friends, New Study Says Kids Spend More Time On YouTube Than With Friends, New Study Says
Kids Spend More Time On YouTube Than With Friends, New Study Says A new study has revealed some shocking stats about the way today’s children are spending the bulk of their time. The study, which was carried out by media watchdog Ofcom, discovered that children under the age of five spend an hour and 16 minutes online per day, on average. Factor in gaming and television and that time shoots up to four hours and 16 minutes. But that’s not all: one-fifth of children ages eight through 12 are on social media, despite the “ban” for those under age 13. The results of the Ofcom annual report are based on 2,000 interviews. Many parents admitted that they had “l…

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Bridgeport Man Sentenced To Prison Following Sexual Assault Of Girl He Met Online Bridgeport Man Sentenced To Prison Following Sexual Assault Of Girl He Met Online
Bridgeport Man Sentenced To Prison Following Sexual Assault Of Girl He Met Online A Bridgeport man will spend 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl he met online. Hasan Khalid, 21, was sentenced Tuesday by Superior Court Judge Frank Iannotti to three years, suspended after he serves 18 months in prison, followed by three years of probation. He also has to register as a sex offender and undergo treatment for sexual offenders, according to the Connecticut Post. The incident, which took place in 2017, came to light when the girl told police that she had met Khalid over social media and that he had invite…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
News
Missing 16-Year-Old Believed To Be In Area Missing 16-Year-Old Believed To Be In Area
Missing 16-Year-Old Believed To Be In Area A 16-year-old out-of-state girl has gone missing and her family says they believe she's in the New York City area. Brooklynn Hays from Essex, Maryland ran away from home after a camping trip after she thought she was in trouble with her parents on Sunday, Sept. 30, according to WMAR-TV.  Her parents told the station they suspect she contacted someone she met online and that police believe she was seen somewhere in New York City. “We believe she’s in danger," her cousin Korinne Gurnsey told WMAR. "We’ve been in contact with a lot of her friends and we don’t know where she is.” Sh…

SHARE

by Daily Voice
Lifestyle
Twitter Says It Will Delete Millions Of Accounts Twitter Says It Will Delete Millions Of Accounts
Twitter Says It Will Delete Millions Of Accounts Twitter users may soon see a lot fewer followers, as the company prepares to purge the system from locked accounts that have been disabled due to suspicious activity. Officials said that locked accounts occur when they see sudden changes in behavior. They then reach out to the owners of the accounts and unless they validate the account and reset their passwords, they stay locked with no ability to log in. “We are committed to building trust and encouraging healthy conversations on Twitter,” the company posted. “Follower counts should be meaningful and accurate. We are removing locked accoun…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
CT Man Pleads Guilty To Child Exploitation CT Man Pleads Guilty To Child Exploitation
CT Man Pleads Guilty To Child Exploitation A 78-year-old Connecticut man has pleaded guilty to attempting to solicit sexual activity from teenage girls on Facebook. Waterbury resident Harry Bright - also known as “Buddy Bright,” pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of obscene matter to a minor in federal court on Thursday, John Durham, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced. According to court documents and statements made in court, in November last year, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) contacted Homeland Security Investigations to report that they had been notified…

SHARE

by Zak Failla