08/20/2025
Parents and Grandparents be aware. Child predators are everywhere including your kids games.
Predators use games and chats to get close to kids. They don’t look a certain way and they don’t always act like strangers. They show up where kids are already talking and playing.
According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, predators use online gaming to contact and groom children. They start in public chats, then move to private messages or voice, building trust with gifts, promises, or pressure.
There has been a sharp rise in sextortion targeting minors, including schemes that begin on games, apps, or social media. In one FBI analysis, reports of financially motivated sextortion involving minors rose about 20% during a recent six-month period.
The FBI further warns about violent online groups that target kids on open messaging platforms, coercing them into harmful acts or explicit content.
What parents and caregivers can do right now:
▪Keep game and app chats visible and age-appropriate
▪Teach kids to block and report anyone who pressures them for DMs, gifts, secrets, or images
▪Save screenshots, usernames, server IDs, and links, then report to law enforcement
Want practical, step-by-step tools you can use tonight? Join our free training, “Protecting Our Kids in a Digital World” Tuesday August 26th - 6:30pm at the Burleson Parks and Recreation (BRiCk).
RSVP to let us know your coming: https://www.facebook.com/share/16k5sSFTYC/