The tragic death of 14-year-old Caleb Moore from El Dorado, Kansas, has brought attention to the serious dangers of sextortion scams targeting teenagers. Caleb’s mother, Morgan Moore, has spoken out to raise awareness and warn other parents.
Caleb was communicating online with someone he thought was a peer. The exchange began with sharing photos but soon turned into threats demanding money, with the scammer threatening to expose the images.
Authorities found that the initial contact was made on TikTok, with conversations moving to Snapchat where the photos were sent. Feeling overwhelmed, Caleb sent a photo of a gun in an attempt to stop the harassment before tragically taking his own life.
Morgan said the ordeal destroyed her son’s hope in just half an hour. She believes Caleb felt helpless, fearing that no one could fix the situation or protect him.
TikTok confirms that messaging is disabled for users under 16, but Caleb’s exact age on the platform is unknown. Snapchat offers safety tools for teens, yet Morgan stresses that more effective monitoring is needed to stop fraudulent accounts.
A fundraiser has been set up to assist Caleb’s family. This heartbreaking event highlights the urgent need for vigilance and better safeguards to protect young users online.
