Safe Surfin' Foundation

10/11/2026

🚨 21 ARRESTS. MORE THAN 200 CHARGES. TWO YEARS.

And a powerful reminder that online predators are closer than many families realize.

Right here in Virginia, investigators with the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office are taking an aggressive stand against online child exploitation.

According to a recent report, the Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Division has made 21 arrests and brought more than 200 charges over the past two years through investigations targeting online predators.

Using advanced digital forensic technology and undercover operations, investigators pose as children in online spaces where young people spend their time.

And one of the most disturbing revelations? Investigators report that suspected predators sometimes initiate contact within MINUTES.

Let that sink in.

While our children are playing games, scrolling social media, or chatting with someone they believe is a friend, there may be someone on the other side of that screen with very different intentions.

At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we applaud the dedicated men and women of the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office for their commitment to identifying predators, investigating exploitation, and protecting children.

Our foundation was founded by law enforcement, and we understand the critical importance of this work.

But we also know something else:

🚨 Law enforcement cannot do this alone.

That's why EDUCATION and PREVENTION are at the heart of our mission.

Parents and caregivers:

📱 Know which apps, games, and platforms your children use.

👀 Pay attention to who they're communicating with online.

🔒 Review privacy settings and messaging permissions.

💬 Talk openly about grooming, manipulation, sextortion, and online predators.

❤️ Most importantly, make sure your children know they can come to you if someone threatens, pressures, or frightens them online — without fear of being blamed or punished.

Every arrest represents law enforcement taking action.

Every conversation represents an opportunity to prevent another child from becoming a victim.

We are grateful for the investigators working tirelessly to protect children. And we remain committed to helping families recognize the dangers BEFORE tragedy strikes.

💙 Founded by law enforcement. Focused on prevention. Committed to protecting children.

One conversation can save a life.

📰 Read the full story:
https://hoodline.com/2026/10/isle-of-wight-detectives-pose-as-kids-online-rack-up-21-arrests-in-two-years/

🌐 Learn more about Safe Surfin’ Foundation at www.SafeSurfin.org

10/10/2026

💙 ONE CONVERSATION CAN SAVE A LIFE.

That was the powerful message shared by Safe Surfin’ Foundation Director of Education Vaughan as she spoke with District 12 Moose members at the Wytheville Moose Lodge #394 about the growing dangers of online sextortion — and the critical importance of education, awareness, and prevention.

Sextortion is a devastating crime that can happen to any child, in any family, in any community. Predators use manipulation, threats, fear, and shame to exploit young people, often leaving victims feeling trapped and afraid to ask for help.

But knowledge is power. And conversations can save lives.

Jane shared the importance of recognizing warning signs, understanding how sextortion occurs, and making sure children and teens know that if they are ever threatened or exploited online, they are NOT alone — and they are NEVER to blame.

At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we know that protecting children takes more than technology and parental controls. It takes informed adults, strong communities, and people willing to have conversations that aren't always easy — but are absolutely necessary.

❤️ A very special THANK YOU to James West for providing us with the opportunity to share this lifesaving message with District 12!

We are also incredibly grateful to the members of District 12 and the Wytheville Moose Lodge for their hospitality, their commitment to community service, and their willingness to stand with us in protecting children and families.

The Moose family has long been an important part of the Safe Surfin’ mission, and opportunities like this remind us just how powerful community partnerships can be.

Every person who hears this message becomes another voice for prevention.

Every conversation creates another opportunity to protect a child.

And every community that stands together brings us one step closer to preventing another tragedy.

💙 Thank you, Jane, for continuing to carry this mission forward with such passion and dedication!

🌐 Learn more at www.SafeSurfin.org

Start the Conversation. One conversation can save a life.

10/09/2026

📱 YOUR CHILD'S DIGITAL WORLD NEEDS YOU IN IT! ❤️

The headlines are troubling. The technology is changing. And the online dangers facing our children are becoming increasingly difficult to recognize.

But here's something every parent and caregiver needs to remember:

You don't have to be a technology expert to help keep your child safe online. You just have to stay involved.

At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we believe protecting children begins with education, prevention, and conversations that build trust.

Here are FOUR simple ways to make a difference TODAY:

📱 SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES.
Establish age-appropriate screen limits, encourage screen-free family time, and help your children develop healthy digital habits.

🔒 CHECK THEIR DIGITAL SAFETY SETTINGS.
Review parental controls, privacy settings, app permissions, location sharing, and who can contact your child through social media and online games.

👀 STAY INVOLVED.
Know which apps your children use, who they're communicating with, and what they're experiencing online. Ask questions and take a genuine interest in their digital lives.

💬 KEEP THE CONVERSATION OPEN.
Make sure your child knows that if someone threatens, pressures, embarrasses, or frightens them online, they can come to you without fear of judgment or punishment.

❤️ REMEMBER: Parental controls can help protect an account. A trusting relationship can help protect a child.

The most important safety feature in your child's digital world may be YOU.

At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we're committed to giving families the knowledge and resources they need to recognize online dangers before a child becomes a victim.

🌐 Learn more at www.SafeSurfin.org

💬 PARENTS: What's one online safety conversation you've had with your child recently? Share below — your experience might help another family!

10/09/2026

🔎 THREAT ALERT THURSDAY! 🚨

Because knowing the warning signs can make all the difference.

Not every online threat looks dangerous at first.

Sometimes it looks like a friend request.
Sometimes it's a compliment.
Sometimes it's someone who seems to understand your child better than anyone else.

But what happens when that friendly conversation turns into requests for personal information, private photos, or secrets?

🚩 THAT'S WHEN THE RED FLAGS MATTER.

This Threat Alert Thursday, Safe Surfin’ Foundation wants parents, caregivers, and educators to remember three important things:

📱 KNOW who your children are communicating with online. Not everyone is who they claim to be.

💬 TALK openly about online relationships, secrecy, manipulation, and the dangers of sharing personal information.

❤️ REASSURE your children that if someone threatens, pressures, or frightens them online, they can come to you without fear of judgment or punishment.

Online predators count on secrecy, fear, and silence.

We can fight back with education, awareness, and conversations that build trust.

At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we believe the best time to protect a child is BEFORE they become a victim.

🚨 Stay alert. Stay informed. Start the conversation.

Because one conversation could save a life.

🌐 Learn more at www.SafeSurfin.org

10/07/2026

📱 How is social media and screen time shaping the lives of our children?

Technology is an incredible tool for learning, creativity, and connection — but as the amount of time young people spend online continues to grow, so does the importance of understanding how those digital experiences can affect them.
The “Imagine Lecture: The Impact of Social Media and Screen Time on Youth” offers an important opportunity for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone who works with young people to learn more about this conversation.

At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we believe the answer isn’t simply taking devices away. It’s helping children develop healthier digital habits, teaching them to recognize risks, keeping communication open, and making sure trusted adults stay involved in their online lives.

Watch the lecture here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhDbwecXCpE

Then use it to start a conversation at home:
💬 How does being online make you feel?
📱 Are there times when you feel like you need a break?
👥 Does social media ever make you feel pressured to look, act, or live a certain way?
❤️ Do you know you can always come to me if something online makes you uncomfortable?

Our children are growing up in a digital world. Our job is to help them learn how to navigate it safely, confidently, and responsibly.

Join Mayo Clinic pediatrician Angela Mattke, M.D., as she explores ...

10/06/2026

🐾 Meet Captain Canine Mojo — a four-legged hero helping protect children in the digital world!
Our partners at Know2Protect are highlighting one of the most unique members of the fight against online child exploitation. Captain Canine Mojo works alongside Homeland Security Investigations to locate electronic storage devices that may contain critical evidence — because when a child’s safety is at stake, no detail is too small.
Now, humans can lend a hand, too.
Through Identify2Protect, members of the public can safely review carefully sanitized, non-explicit images connected to unsolved child exploitation investigations. Something as simple as recognizing a location, object, logo, or other seemingly insignificant detail could provide investigators with information that helps identify and protect a child.
At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, we believe protecting children online takes all of us — law enforcement, families, educators, community partners, and sometimes even a very talented canine. 🐾
Take a closer look. You never know what you might recognize.
Learn more about Identify2Protect at know2protect.gov under the “Take Action” tab.

No detail is too small when a child’s safety is on the line. 🔎

Meet Captain Canine Mojo, Project iGuardian's online safety ambassador. Mojo works with Homeland Security Investigations to sniff out electronic storage devices that may contain critical evidence, and helps educate parents, trusted adults, kids and teens about staying safe online.

Now Mojo is lending a paw to , which gives humans an opportunity to be detectives. By reviewing carefully sanitized, non-explicit images from unsolved child exploitation investigations, you may recognize an object, place, logo or other detail that could help investigators identify and protect a child.

Visit Identify2Protect under the Take Action tab on know2protect.gov to learn more: https://bit.ly/3TVFA06

10/05/2026

Spot the red flags.
Changes in a child’s online behavior could be a sign that something is wrong. Watch for:
🚩 Spending more time online
🚩 Becoming upset when offline
🚩 Hiding online activity
🚩 Receiving unexplained gifts
Know what to watch for and how to help: https://www.ncmec.org/netsmartz/onlineenticement

Spot the red flags.
Changes in a child’s online behavior could be a sign that something is wrong. Watch for:

🚩 Spending more time online
🚩 Becoming upset when offline
🚩 Hiding online activity
🚩 Receiving unexplained gifts

Know what to watch for and how to help: https://www.ncmec.org/netsmartz/onlineenticement

10/05/2026

🔐 CYBER SUNDAY 🔐

It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and every Sunday in October, Safe Surfin’ Foundation is sharing a simple step you can take to make your digital world a little safer.

This week’s Cyber Sunday Tip: Turn on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)!
Passwords can be stolen, guessed, or exposed in a data breach. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring another form of verification before someone can access your account.

Take a few minutes today and check:
📱 Social media
📧 Email
💳 Banking and financial accounts
🎮 Gaming accounts
☁️ Cloud storage and photos

Parents — make this a family activity! Help your children and teens secure their accounts, too.

One extra step to log in can be one BIG step toward keeping someone else out.

Cyber Sunday: Small steps. Safer digital lives.

10/05/2026

Our partners at GFWC are sounding the alarm about an issue that directly affects victims and survivors across the country — and we believe it deserves attention.
The Crime Victims Fund helps support critical services for survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, and other crimes. These funds help local organizations provide counseling, crisis intervention, shelter, case management, and other services when individuals and families may need them most.
Importantly, the Crime Victims Fund is not funded by taxpayer dollars. It relies primarily on fines and penalties paid by those convicted of federal crimes. As those revenues have declined, organizations serving victims are facing the possibility of significant funding cuts.
GFWC is encouraging advocates to support H.R. 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act, which has passed the U.S. House and would provide an additional source of revenue for the fund.
At Safe Surfin’ Foundation, our mission begins with prevention and education — but we also know how important it is for victims and survivors to have somewhere to turn when harm has already occurred.
We appreciate our partners at GFWC for using their collective voice to advocate for victims, families, and the organizations that serve them.
Learn more and find information about contacting your Senators through GFWC’s Legislative Action Center:
https://www.gfwc.org/legislative-action/

The Crime Victims Fund (CVF) is the main source of federal funding for victim services nationwide. It supports counseling, case management, crisis hotlines, emergency shelters, and direct services for survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking. Nearly 6,500 local organizations rely on it.

The CVF doesn't draw from taxpayer dollars. It's funded by penalties from federal criminal convictions, which have declined in recent years, leaving the fund dangerously low and victim services at risk.

The House has already passed the bipartisan H.R. 909, the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act, which would redirect unobligated False Claims Act funds into the CVF.

📣 Contact your Senators and urge them to pass H.R. 909 before more communities face catastrophic funding cuts. See the Legislative Action page https://www.gfwc.org/legislative-action/ to learn how!

10/03/2026

What a wonderful day of connection, education, and generosity!

Safe Surfin’ Foundation was honored to be a guest at the 38th Annual Presbytery of the Peaks Presbyterian Women Gathering at Westminster Presbyterian Church, alongside Moe McClanahan with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).

Moe delivered an important and powerful presentation on human trafficking, bringing greater awareness to an issue that touches individuals, families, and communities everywhere. We are especially grateful that Moe chose to highlight the work of Safe Surfin’ Foundation and graciously suggested our organization as the recipient of the Presbyterian Women’s offering.

A very special thank you to Mrs. Janet Rakes and the Presbytery of the Peaks Presbyterian Women for inviting Safe Surfin’ Foundation to be part of this meaningful gathering. Your warm welcome, kindness, generosity, and genuine interest in our mission meant so much to us.

And to Moe, thank you for believing in what we do and for using your voice and platform to support our mission. We are deeply appreciative of your friendship and advocacy.

Days like this are a beautiful reminder of what can happen when people and organizations come together with a shared commitment to education, prevention, and protecting others.

We left with grateful hearts. Thank you for welcoming Safe Surfin’ Foundation and for supporting the work that allows us to help keep individuals and families safer—both online and in our communities.

Start the Conversation. ❤️