FBI warns of sex predators preying on children online during virus pandemic

EL PASO, Texas -- Students across the Borderland are now forced to attend school virtually due to the global pandemic. Being online comes with added precautions that many parents did not have to face when they were growing up.

The educational tool most school districts have been using is Zoom, a video web conferencing app that allows students and teachers to be in a virtual classroom together.  

The problem is if someone who was not authorized to the meeting gains the login information to the online conference call, they can say or post whatever they want.  This is what is known as "zoom-bombing."

The Associated Press reports that a Georgia mother said her child's virtual learning conference call was zoom-bombed by someone who played pornography that the teacher and students were exposed to.

The El Paso's Federal Bureau of Investigation field office offered tips Wednesday about how to protect your children and also provided information on how to report an online crime.

Do not share your teleconference link to the public, and let the host have all control to the teleconference meeting, advised FBI Special Agent Miguel Sandoval.

"Anytime a child has access to the internet they can become a victim of an online predator," Sandoval added.

If you'd like to report a cyber crime, the FBI said you can call 1-800-843-5678 or you can find them online at www.cybertipline.org