Protect Yourself Online
The introduction of the internet in the 1990s provided traffickers with a new, wide-open hunting ground. Over the years, they quickly learned how to use social media channels, online marketplace sites, and free-standing webpages to recruit victims and attract clients. Traffickers are both actively “hunting” for posters they consider vulnerable or passively “fishing” by posting advertisements and waiting for potential victims to respond.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has tips on how to protect yourself against human trafficking online. Their first rule is to set strict privacy settings. Anyone can see your “public” social media photos, posts, locations, and other identifying information. Traffickers have used this information to reach out to and recruit victims.
Beware of strange friend requests and only accept a friend or follow requests from people you know, even if you have friends in common. Traffickers will reach out to “chat” via social media and then slowly work to build trust with the potential victim.
Remember that anything and everything you post, including your photos, reviews, texts, and “likes” – is in the public domain, and you have no control over how it is being seen or shared. Traffickers have used people’s photos and personal details to help them blackmail, groom or recruit victims. Never share personal information, such as your phone number, address, or live location online.
Did your child share something explicit? The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has created Take It Down, a tool that can help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos depicting a child under 18 years old. Learn more at their website.
When you see a great deal or opportunity online, ask yourself: is this too good to be true? Is it really an international modeling agency or yacht owner looking for new faces or staff and crew? Traffickers will post job opportunities online, promising high wages for simple work, a glamourous position, or a chance to become a model. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Online Romance Schemes can target more than your money; they can also lead to human trafficking. The Department of Homeland Security offers tips to recognize a potential scammer before you’re harmed.
Sadly, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, many scammers are Human Trafficking victims themselves, forced to commit fraud through international schemes that lure victims through fake job ads or investment plans and force them to work as online scammers. Learn more about this growing global crime.
Engage your children in conversation about their online activities. Pay attention to your friends’ social media exploits. Listen for ‘red flags’ warning signs of trafficking to help you to identify when your loved one is at risk of being ‘groomed’ or recruited online.
Report suspicious pages or activities to the authorities. Don’t hesitate to unfriend, block or report someone who is harassing you or talking to you in a way that makes you uncomfortable. Take screenshots of the messages or posts – they might be useful later for an investigation or law enforcement.
Don’t be afraid to report any suspicious behaviors or messages, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
