Law enforcement agencies are urging parents to inspect their children’s social media platforms following the arrest of an 18-year-old Edmonton man who allegedly tracked two minors via Snapchat to locate their family home. Arshdeep Singh faces multiple serious charges, including child luring, extortion, and the production of child sexual abuse material, after police intervened in an active digital extortion scheme.
Arrest and Charges Following Digital Extortion Investigation
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams’ (ALERT) Internet Child Exploitation unit arrested Arshdeep Singh on Sept. 10, 2026, after a victim’s family member reported the threats in August. Police announced the charges during a Sept. 25 news conference at ALERT’s Strathcona County headquarters in Sherwood Park. Operating under the username “max_bxyz,” Singh allegedly communicated with two youths online, tracked their physical locations using Snapchat’s built-in sharing features, and compelled them to provide sexually explicit videos through explicit threats of violence. According to investigators, the suspect threatened that the victims and their family members would be murdered if they failed to comply with demands for media. Investigators also stated that the suspect eventually traveled to the victims’ neighborhood and approached a minor after deducing their home address and school.
Police Warnings Regarding Location-Sharing Vulnerabilities
Staff Sgt. Alison Church of the Internet Child Exploitation unit emphasized the severity of the threat during the September press briefing, noting that the outcome could easily have been fatal given that historical cases involve children abducted directly from family residences. Authorities confirmed that Singh was not previously known to police prior to the August complaint. Officials are asking parents to actively search their children’s Snapchat contact lists for the username “max_bxyz” and to use the incident as an opportunity to discuss digital safety boundaries. Investigators from the Edmonton Police Service and the Zebra Child Protection Centre are assisting with the ongoing inquiry to identify any potential additional victims.
How to Adjust Snapchat Privacy and Location Controls
To mitigate the risks associated with location tracking on Snapchat, safety advocates and platform guidelines recommend that users immediately audit their built-in privacy settings. Account holders can access these options by selecting the gear icon located on their profile page. Within the Privacy Controls menu, location-sharing functions can be completely disabled or restricted so that geographical data is shared exclusively with approved, trusted friends. Users can also turn off the Find Friends feature, which automatically suggests potential connections based on mutual contacts, reducing the risk of unauthorized individuals monitoring a minor's daily movements.
