Learning your child has been targeted by an online predator is every parent's worst fear. In the panic of the moment, it's easy to make mistakes that hurt your case. The steps you take in the first hour can determine whether law enforcement is able to act.
We worked with Detective Rich Wistocki, child crime expert and founder of BeSure Consulting, to put together a clear, step-by-step guide for exactly what to do. Download the free printable PDF, or read the steps here.
Before you do anything else (including reporting the account) capture every message, image, profile, and interaction. Social media platforms often delete accounts once content is reported, which means your evidence disappears with it.
If you use BrightCanary child monitoring, full message transcripts are already available, so screenshot those, too.
Record everything you know about the other party: username, gamer tag, phone number, email address, platform, and the dates and duration of contact. The more specific your documentation, the better the odds that law enforcement can act on it.
Document what happened in chronological order, including how the situation made your child feel. If there were any threats, state explicitly that you feared for your child's safety (that specific language matters for the official police report).
Make physical copies of your statement and all evidence, and save everything to two flash drives — one for law enforcement, one to keep. Once you hand over evidence, you may not get the original back.
Report to your local police department. Most patrol officers have little to no training in cybercrime, so if you encounter pushback, ask for a supervisor or specifically request an ICAC-trained detective.
One more thing: If your child has inappropriate images circulating online, visit takeitdown.ncmec.org. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will work with platforms to locate and remove them.
"No one is allowed to make them feel bad about themselves online. No one is allowed to make them do something they should not be doing, such as extortion. If a predator is doing it to them, they are doing it to 10 other people as well, and they need to be stopped." — Detective Rich Wistocki, cybercrime expert
This guide is based on expert guidance from Detective Rich Wistocki, founder of BeSure Consulting and a leading child crime investigator. For the full interview, including how to talk to your child afterward, read our expert insights piece. Stay informed about your child’s online activity with BrightCanary child monitoring, the only child safety app recommended by Detective Rich.
