Internet predators seek to entice your child into an in-person meeting through a process of "grooming." An individual, usually an adult, attempts to establish a relationship with a child or teen to gain the child’s trust. The ultimate goal of the “groomer” is to arrange an in-person meeting to engage in sexual relations with the child or teen.

You should know

• It may involve deception. Adults trying to groom children may initially lie about their age. They may never reveal their real age to the child, even after forming an established relationship.
• The groomer may claim to have the same interests as the child. Often, the groomer will know popular music artists, clothing trends, sports team information, or another activity or hobby the child may be interested in.
• Frequently, a groomer will pretend to relate to the child. This makes children believe that while no one else can understand them or their situation, the groomer does. After the child’s trust develops, the groomer may use sexually explicit conversations to test boundaries

Your child or a child you know may be the victim of online grooming if he/she

• Obsesses about being online and becomes angry when he or she can't get on the computer
• Minimizes the screen or turns off the computer when adults are nearby
• Receives a gift from someone, and will not tell who it is from
• Has a lot of incoming or outgoing phone calls to numbers that are not recognized by a parent or guardian.
• Becomes withdrawn from family and friends

Watch for inappropriate images or websites on the computer, gifts in the mail such as webcams or cell phones, and unknown numbers on your phone bill.

If you ever feel that your child is in immediate danger, contact your local law enforcement. If you suspect a child is being groomed by someone online, contact the CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 or www.CyberTipline.com.

Here are some safety measures you can take

• Keep the computer in a common area and notice what sites he or she visits
• Consider purchasing and installing child monitoring software
• Consider limiting your child’s access to certain websites, chatrooms, or instant messaging programs
• Educate your child about the potential risks of online predators
• If you do permit your children to use social networking, gaming, or chat sites, talk to them about specific risks and review his or her profile regularly. Help children to remove information that could put them at risk. Review their buddy list on instant messaging programs and their friends lists on social networking sites to ensure they are only communicating with people they know and trust in real life