By Introduction:
In today’s digital age, where connectivity knows no bounds, there exists a dark underbelly of individuals and groups exploiting unsuspecting victims for personal gain. One such group, operating under the name Child Online Safety Team (COST), has recently come to light for their involvement in illegal practices targeting vulnerable senior citizens. This group, driven by a disturbing motivation for viewership, shamelessly preys on older individuals who have little experience with online interactions. This article aims to shed light on the unethical activities of COST, emphasizing the urgent need for awareness and action to protect our elderly population.
Unveiling COST’s Exploitative Practices:
COST, posing as an organization dedicated to child online safety, employs a range of illegal tactics to carry out their exploitative schemes. However, their true motives are far from noble. Instead of focusing on genuine efforts to protect children, COST prioritizes garnering viewership for their online content. Their primary targets are vulnerable senior citizens who may not have established friendships online, making them particularly susceptible to manipulation. By engaging in fraud, identity theft, and emotional and evidence manipulation, COST leaves a devastating impact on the lives of their victims.
Putting Viewership Above Ethics:
The most alarming aspect of COST’s operations is their unscrupulous drive for viewership. Instead of working with law enforcement to combat online exploitation, COST indulges in sensationalist tactics aimed at maximizing their online audience. Their videos, streamed live to an audience of over 1,000 viewers, aim to generate publicity and attract attention rather than genuinely detecting and addressing offenders.
COST’s actions go beyond their role as self-proclaimed child online safety advocates. They engage in cyberbullying and false imprisonment, falsely accusing innocent individuals and subjecting them to public humiliation. This calculated approach, designed to increase viewership, exacerbates the trauma suffered by their victims. The group’s focus on seeking online recognition and acting as self-appointed vigilantes reveals a disturbing disregard for the genuine well-being and safety of both children and vulnerable senior citizens.
Exploiting Vulnerable Seniors for Personal Gain:
COST specifically targets elderly individuals who lack experience with online interactions. Exploiting their vulnerability and isolation, the group capitalizes on the trust and desire for companionship among seniors. By masquerading as friendly individuals seeking friendship or assistance, they gradually gain their victims’ trust, gradually obtaining personal information, including sensitive financial details. This targeted approach enables COST to exert control over their victims, perpetrating financial exploitation and inflicting severe emotional distress.
One of the group members is found bragging on Facebook of how their victims fall for their the manipulation techniques where they call victims on the phone and manipulate them and then force them to text actions on the phone and delete their own phone call records evidence so that they are not held accountable with the police.
In a shocking revelation, a member of the notorious online predator group, Child Online Safety Team (COST), was found bragging on Facebook about their sinister manipulation techniques and evidence tampering. The group, known for exploiting vulnerable individuals, especially senior citizens, now stands accused of engaging in increasingly deceptive practices to avoid accountability with law enforcement.
Through cunning phone calls and manipulative tactics, the COST member coerces their victims into texting specific actions on their phones. Once the victim complies, the perpetrator ruthlessly deletes any phone call records, leaving no trace of their illegal activities.
Arrests and Legal Proceedings:
Sam Miller, 29 and James Moss, 51 the leaders of COST, have been held accountable on June 1, 2023 for their unethical actions. They were arrested by Northumbria Police and subsequently faced trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The court heard harrowing details of how they falsely accused a father of heinous crimes, “berating and humiliating” him live on the internet. Their misguided pursuit of “glory” in catching alleged sex offenders led them to exceed lawful authority and conduct a false imprisonment.
The court emphasized that their actions were driven by seeking “publicity and grandstanding” rather than genuinely detecting and addressing online offenders. Their focus on “Facebook likes” and acting as “pretend policemen” demonstrated their disregard for upholding the law and genuine child protection efforts.
Sentences and Lessons Learned:
In the face of overwhelming evidence, Sam Miller received a nine-month prison sentence, while James Moss received six months, suspended for 18 months, along with a three-month curfew. Moss, with a prior clean record, claimed to have learned a “sad, long and valuable lesson” and vowed never to be a vigilante again.
The activities of the Child Online Safety Team (COST) reveal a deeply troubling reality-exploitation of vulnerable senior citizens for the sake of viewership and personal gain. Their unethical practices, including illegal activities and the manipulation of evidence, underscore the urgent need for awareness and action to protect our elderly population from such predators.
The arrests, legal proceedings, and sentences handed down to Sam Miller and James Moss serve as a reminder that those who engage in such despicable actions will face legal consequences. Moreover, the discovery of COST’s manipulation of evidence highlights the lengths they went to avoid accountability. It is crucial that law enforcement agencies remain vigilant and committed to combating such exploitation, ensuring that justice is served and protecting the well-being of our elderly population. By raising awareness about the manipulative tactics employed by COST, we can safeguard our vulnerable seniors and create a safer digital landscape for all.
Name: Alan Tims
Company name: The Knowledge
Email address: [email protected]
Website: www.theknowledge.com
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