• New online and unfamiliar with Netiquette
• Actively seeking attention/affection
• Rebellious
• Isolated or lonely
• Curious
• Confused regarding sexual identity
• Easily tricked by adults
• Allured by subcultures outside of parents' world

How can you tell if a child is being targeted?

Here some clues that may indicate that a child has been targeted by an online predator:

• A child or teen spends large amounts of time online
  
• Most children who fall victim to online predators spend a lot of time online, particularly in chat rooms. In such cases, parents should monitor how much time is spent online, and in what activities.
  
• You find pornography on the family computer.Predators often use pornography to sexually victimize children-often supplying it as a way to open sexual discussions with potential victims. Child pornography may be used to convince a child victim that adults having sex with children is "normal." Parents should be aware that a child may hide pornographic files on diskettes, especially if the
  computer is used by other family members.
  
• A child or teen receives phone calls from people you don't know; or makes calls to numbers you don't recognize-sometimes long distance.Online predators may try to contact young people to engage in "phone sex," or to try to set up a real-world meeting. If kids are hesitant to give out their home phone number, online sex offenders will give out theirs. Some have even obtained toll-free 1-800 numbers, so their potential victims can call them without their parents finding out. Others will tell the child to call collect-and then, with Caller ID, they can easily find out the child's phone number.
  
• A child or teen receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don't know. It's common for offenders to send letters, photographs, and all manner of gifts to their potential victims. Computer-sex offenders have even sent plane tickets to try to entice a child or teen to travel across the country to meet them.
  
• A child or teen becomes withdrawn from family and friends; or quickly turns the computer monitor off or changes the screen if an adult comes into the room.Online predators work hard to drive wedges between kids and their families, often exaggerating any minor problems at home. Sexually victimized children often become withdrawn and depressed. And if kids are avoiding their friends or skipping classes, they may be attempting to meet with a predator.
  
• A child is using someone else's online account. Even kids who don't have access to the Internet at home may meet an offender while online at a friend's house or the library. Predators will sometimes provide their victims with a computer account, so they can communicate with them.

What can you do if a child is being targeted?

• You should contact your local police immediately if an online correspondent sends a young person child pornography or sexually explicit images; and especially if a young person is actually sexually solicited.
  
• Check your computer for pornographic files or any kind of sexual communications-these can be warning signs.
  
• Monitor the child's access to all live electronic communications, such as chat rooms, instant messages, and email. Online predators almost always meet potential victims in chat rooms at first, and then continue communicating with them electronically via email.