# How to deal with an online predator **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136 "2014-01-18T06:27:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scoutknife15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scoutknife15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoutknife15)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/1 "2014-01-18T06:27:55Z")
I was playing a game with some friends and one of the newer guys, who’s thirteen, essentially pulled me into a private chat and confided that someone he met online was asking him to do inappropriate things on skype for him. I’m trying to find a way to report this guy to the authorities, I’ve got his full name and location. I just don’t know who to report it to. This kid is genuinely scared, he wasn’t kidding about all this. The child and predator live far enough apart that i don’t think anything physical would come of it, but no child should have to live in fear like that. ---
**Author:** ![Vagabond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/258eb7/32.png) [@Vagabond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vagabond)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/2 "2014-01-18T06:38:38Z")
Job 1 tell the kids parents!!! Predators can trick kids…tell the parents so someone is on the look out at home. After the parents are up to speed, I’d tell every law enforcement agency that might have jurisdiction. Local cops State police Child welfare FBI Call Chris Hansen. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/3 "2014-01-18T06:42:24Z")
How is it that you have his full name and location? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/4 "2014-01-18T06:47:43Z")
Legal advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Scoutknife15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scoutknife15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoutknife15)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/5 "2014-01-18T06:54:20Z")
Dude’s a registered sex offender, was arrested in 06 for possession of some 1200 pictures of child porn. Yeah, that’s what I told him, tell an adult, someone you trust, a school counselor, fuckin anyone, jesus christ. I don’t know this kid personally or anything, hell I don’t know his first name but he starts in on all this and I can’t get it out of my head. What the hell am i supposed to tell the authorities? This random kid online told me someone asked him to jerk it on webcam? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/6 "2014-01-18T09:03:33Z")
> [@Scoutknife15](#): > > Dude’s a registered sex offender, was arrested in 06 for possession of some 1200 pictures of child porn. > > Yeah, that’s what I told him, tell an adult, someone you trust, a school counselor, fuckin anyone, jesus christ. I don’t know this kid personally or anything, hell I don’t know his first name but he starts in on all this and I can’t get it out of my head. What the hell am i supposed to tell the authorities? This random kid online told me someone asked him to jerk it on webcam? Go back to the webpage where you located his sex offender registration, there is almost certainly some way to contact authorities there. Tell them what you told us here. Use a throw away email if you want. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/7 "2014-01-18T10:56:42Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > How is it that you have his full name and location? It would be best if you reveal nothing further about any personal info you have on either the suspect or victim. It’s a bad idea and if you don’t believe me, just contact any moderator or admin in this forum privately. Send them a private message. Also, you should know that anything that either of these people tell you is very likely false info. Just contact an admin or a moderator of this forum to find out what to do. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/8 "2014-01-18T13:11:49Z")
Can you contact the developers or admins of the game you are playing to voice your concerns? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/9 "2014-01-18T13:17:57Z")
> [@Scoutknife15](#): > > Dude’s a registered sex offender, was arrested in 06 for possession of some 1200 pictures of child porn. Do you have a direct link to his registry profile? Normally I’d never ask to violate someone’s privacy, but if he’s a kid-fucker who’s trying to fuck more kids, fuck 'em. (PM me if needed) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/10 "2014-01-18T17:19:39Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Go back to the webpage where you located his sex offender registration, there is almost certainly some way to contact authorities there. Tell them what you told us here. > > Use a throw away email if you want. This. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/11 "2014-01-18T17:25:46Z")
> [@Scoutknife15](#): > > I was playing a game with some friends and one of the newer guys, who’s thirteen, essentially pulled me into a private chat and confided that someone he met online was asking him to do inappropriate things on skype for him. I’m trying to find a way to report this guy to the authorities, I’ve got his full name and location. I just don’t know who to report it to. This kid is genuinely scared, he wasn’t kidding about all this. The child and predator live far enough apart that i don’t think anything physical would come of it, but no child should have to live in fear like that. Tell the parents. Tell the kid not to get on skype with the guy. Let the adults handle it. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/12 "2014-01-18T18:05:04Z")
I’ve had to deal with such matters before. I found state law enforcement to be very helpful with such matters. They took it seriously and the person in question was convicted and served several years. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-deal-with-an-online-predator/679136/13 "2014-01-18T19:38:08Z")
> [@Scoutknife15](#): > > Dude’s a registered sex offender, was arrested in 06 for possession of some 1200 pictures of child porn. > > Yeah, that’s what I told him, tell an adult, someone you trust, a school counselor, fuckin anyone, jesus christ. I don’t know this kid personally or anything, hell I don’t know his first name but he starts in on all this and I can’t get it out of my head. What the hell am i supposed to tell the authorities? This random kid online told me someone asked him to jerk it on webcam? I would not rule out the possibility that the kid (if he even really is a kid) is trolling you. If you do not know who the kid is, just who he says is hassling him, you really know nothing, and can do nothing. All you can do is advise the ‘kid’ to cut off all contact with the alleged predator (i.e., don’t reply to any messages) and tell someone in authority what has happened.