Durham Police Warn of 'The Com' Online Predator Network Targeting Children
The Durham Regional Police Service in Ontario has issued a public warning about an online predator network called 'The Com,' which targets children and teens aged 8 to 17. The group uses grooming and coercion to manipulate victims into criminal acts, including swatting and sharing exploitative images. Police are investigating recent school incidents in Oshawa and Pickering linked to the network.
The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) in Ontario is warning the public about an online network of predators known as "The Com," short for "The Community." The group targets children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 17 across multiple platforms, including Discord, Telegram, Snapchat, Roblox, Minecraft, Twitch, and Steam.
According to police, the network relies on grooming, manipulation, coercion, and intimidation to control its victims. Children are forced to comply through threats of exposing private information, doxing, or swatting—making hoax 911 calls to trigger an armed police response at a target's address. Victims are coerced into participating in crimes such as online attacks and may be manipulated into sharing inappropriate images, engaging in self-harm, or harming others or animals.
DRPS is currently investigating a swatting incident that caused a lockdown at an Oshawa school on Friday, examining potential links to "The Com." Earlier this year, in February, police connected a series of threats at a Pickering elementary school to the same network.
Authorities are urging parents to watch for warning signs that a child may be involved with the network. These indicators include secretive use of encrypted apps, increased device usage, sudden mood changes, or declining academic performance. If concerns arise, parents should contact the Durham police non-emergency line and preserve evidence by saving screenshots of messages, usernames, and links.