7 Red Flags to Help You Identify an Online Predator

If unattended, kids can easily fall into a trap set by an online predator.

It’s estimated that there are about half a million predators worldwide who use the Internet every day. So, it’s now more than ever critical to spot the warning signs and protect our children.

What are the signs of a child predator?

We want to take you through 7 red flags you should teach your children to look out for when somebody reaches out to them. That way, they can know to stop any further interactions with that person, and recognize if something like that ever happens again.

And even if your kids remain oblivious to the signs, there’s a solution. If you’re using Phone Monitor to supervise their phones, you’ll be able to spot potential predators quickly and step in.

The account looks fake

There are different reasons people might use a fake name and picture online. In most cases the reasons aren’t exactly justified, but they aren’t always a sign of a predator either. Not that it’s great to talk to strangers with hidden identities online in general, though. So you should definitely discourage your children from doing so.

In any case, if someone is using a lot of generic images, telling your kids they’re the same age as them, or the name seems a little too made-up, it’s important to be cautious. A lot of predators will use a fake account to find out as much as they can about their target and gain their trust until they can arrange an in-person meeting. 

They are overly nice and affectionate

Child predators know exactly how to talk to their target to make them feel special and safe. They are big on flattery and compliments, especially in terms of appearance. They also pretend to take interest in all the same things, so the child excitedly talks about their interests and accomplishments. 

Predators even get the child to open up about potential insecurities or emotional turmoil, only to then exploit that information further. They’ll use it to make themselves seem supportive and like a safe space for the child to keep sharing. 

It’s important to note that conversations won’t take place on public feeds, like in comment sections. Predators will only make such remarks in direct messages because they’ll assume those are private. That’s why it’s extremely useful to use phone monitoring software, because otherwise you wouldn’t know your child might be getting groomed. 

They always agree with everything

Similarly to the previous point, predators will go out of their way to make a child feel heard and understood. Essentially they’ll agree with all their standpoints, no matter what it’s concerning. That way, they gain even more trust and form a deeper “bond” of sorts.

They ask for personal information, pics and videos

This can occur even at the beginning stages of the predator’s interactions with a child. In terms of asking for personal or sensitive information, they’ll manage to be very subtle about it. Instead of directly asking questions, they’ll tell stories about their life and experience to get a response.

For example, if they notice a child likes basketball, they might say something like “I recently went to a [Team X] game, it was awesome”. The child might reply with “That’s awesome, I wish [their city] hosted basketball games more often”, giving away where they live.

Of course, in order to gather as much info about a child as possible, they will also ask lots of direct questions about things like their friends, hobbies, and TV shows. Those are topics that won’t make them seem suspicious or creepy, but will allow them to keep the conversation going. 

Once they get more comfortable, they might also start asking for pictures as well as insisting on video chatting in private. 

They offer/send gifts

Predators will use material items like gifts and money to lure the child into building a closer “relationship”. Most likely they’ll use all the information they gathered about the child’s interests and connect it in some way to that gift. If a child likes to paint, for example, the predator might offer to send them an expensive art kit.

That way, the predator not only seems supportive and generous, but will inevitably find out the child’s home address.

They make suggestive remarks

As the predator becomes more comfortable, they will start making inappropriate, sexually suggestive comments to the target. These might start out subtly, but will inevitably become more openly lewd with time.

The predator will try to convince the child that that’s normal and pressure them into participating actively in such a conversation. They might even go as far as to send explicit images and videos. So, it’s absolutely crucial to react the very first time an even remotely inappropriate comment is made before the situation escalates.

They insist on meeting in person

Predators will constantly suggest to the target that they meet in person. Every time the child has an excuse, they’ll come up with possible solutions and keep pushing. They’ll encourage the child to lie to their friends and parents about where they’re going and with whom.

If nothing works, they will probably resort to various threats. Most likely they’ll threaten with something they know the child is vulnerable to, in order to get them to surrender.

Summary

Even just thinking about how easy it is for predators to use the Internet to their advantage is sickening. But it is the grim reality of the contemporary world and we need to take measures to keep our kids safe. 

Are you looking for ways to protect your child online? Feel free to reach out, we’d be happy to help and provide a solution.