Step 1: Preserve Evidence
Do NOT delete messages, images, or accounts.
Everything is evidence. Before you report, document what you have:
- →Screenshot all conversations (include timestamps and usernames)
- →Save profile URLs and usernames of the suspected predator
- →Note the platform(s) where contact occurred
- →Document any financial transactions (gift cards, Venmo, crypto)
- →Write down dates and times of key events
- →Save email headers if communication happened via email
Step 2: Report to Authorities
Report to multiple channels— they serve different purposes and don't always share information with each other. Start with NCMEC, then FBI, then local law enforcement.
NCMEC CyberTipline
The federally designated clearinghouse for reports of online child sexual exploitation. All U.S. tech companies report CSAM here. Your report goes directly to law enforcement.
Website: report.cybertip.org
Phone: 1-800-843-5678
When to use: Any online child sexual exploitation — CSAM, grooming, sextortion, trafficking, unsolicited obscene material sent to a child.
FBI IC3
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Especially important for financial sextortion, organized crime rings, and cases involving threats of violence.
Website: ic3.gov
Phone: 1-800-CALL-FBI
When to use: Financial sextortion, threats, organized predator networks, cases crossing state or international borders.
Local Law Enforcement
Your local police department or sheriff's office. Many have dedicated internet crimes against children (ICAC) units. They can issue preservation orders to platforms.
Phone: 911 (emergency) or non-emergency line
When to use: Immediate danger, in-person meetup attempts, local perpetrators, any situation requiring urgent response.
NCMEC Take It Down
A free tool to help remove intimate images of minors from the internet. Creates a hash of the image without uploading it, then works with platforms to detect and remove matches.
Website: takeitdown.ncmec.org
When to use: Intimate images of a minor have been shared or threatened to be shared online.
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
Free, confidential support from trained staff. Available 24/7. Provides crisis counseling and can connect you with local resources.
Website: www.rainn.org
Phone: 1-800-656-4673
When to use: Your child needs emotional support. You need guidance on next steps. Any sexual assault situation.
Step 3: Report to the Platform
After reporting to authorities, also report directly to the platform where the exploitation occurred. This helps get the predator's account removed and can prevent them from contacting other children.
Step 4: Support Your Child
Reassure Them
Children fear being blamed. Make clear: this is not their fault. The predator is the criminal. Your child was brave to tell you (or you were smart to find out).
Seek Professional Help
Consider connecting your child with a therapist who specializes in child exploitation trauma. RAINN (1-800-656-4673) can provide referrals.
Adjust Digital Access
Review and tighten privacy settings on all platforms. Consider monitoring software temporarily. But don't punish your child by removing all access — that teaches them not to come to you next time.
What Happens After You Report?
After filing a CyberTipline report, NCMEC reviews it and forwards it to the appropriate law enforcement agency — which could be local police, state investigators, the FBI, or international partners. Response times vary. The FBI prioritizes cases involving immediate danger and organized networks. Keep your case number and follow up with local law enforcement if you don't hear back within 2 weeks.