The gamer was involved in a conversation where they shared that they are planning to receive the address of another person and meet them in person.
Tips for speaking with the gamer:
- Explain that you were notified that they spoke about meeting with another gamer during a gaming session,
- Explain to them that you are asking them for details to keep them safe.
- Ask them who they are planning to meet and whether or not they know the person.
- You can ask what information they gave to the other player. Determine whether or not they gave out personal information like an address or phone number.
- If you are talking with a younger gamer (6-9), let them know that talking with other gamers online can be fun, but they should be aware of the risks of speaking with strangers. Explain that the person on the other side may pretend to be someone else and could potentially harm them.
- For older kids (10-12), you can explain that sometimes other gamers can pretend to be their friend or pretend to be younger and that they may have malicious intent like scamming or harassing them.
- For younger children, explain that they shouldn’t share personal information with a stranger. Examples of personal information include:
- their last name
- phone number
- address
- photos
- password
- Explain that if someone is asking for personal information they should come and share it with you or their parents.
- If the gamer did talk with a stranger who lured them to meet in person or to give them personal information such as an address or details on a specific event, help them block and report this gamer. The stranger may be a sexual predator. If their request also included intimate photos, you should report the player to the police.
*An online predator is someone who commits child sexual abuse that either begins or takes place on the internet. You can use this link for “How to Talk to Teens About Dealing with Online Predators“