Stranger Danger 9-Year-old cleverly tricked into meeting someone 

Five things Kids must never share online ever!

The great thing about this story is it is common sense and only needs a minor change to make sure your kids understand. Don't forget with fewer days in schools in 2020/21, kids' got less online safety instruction than in previous years.

Kids always say that Mum and Dad don't do a lot about parental control online safety at home. So here's something we can do to fix that. Start by reminding your kids of the five most important things NOT to share online with anyone. The list is below. Let's start.

We all know the advice that kids get when starting on devices, gaming and the internet for the first time. How careful they need to be, always use your common sense. 

Five things to protect online forever

• Name
• Age Date of Birth
• Address
• Phone
• Email 

All about common sense!

It is not just names, schools, home addresses, nicknames, friends' names, city or town, phone numbers we need to be careful of accidentally giving out. It is everything, even your dogs' name.

Here is a true story from a 9-year-old girl in West Hampstead, London, in 2021 that we heard from the Police.

This is a clever entrapment of a young girl tricked into giving a stranger her dog's name, 'Snowy', which at the time she thought was harmless. Until a year or later, this same guy re-approached her online (we think through Instagram) and asked her how her dog was, referring to 'Snowy' by name. She dropped her guard and agreed to meet him a few days later, mistaking him for some long-lost relative or old family friend. 

Firstly, this conversation ought to have never taken place and second, it shows how clever people can be when it comes to entrapping children online. The first rule is never to speak to anyone online you do not know in person. The second rule, use your common sense. Email us for School Booking

Luckily, she told her mum where she was going! 

Fortunately, as the 9-year-old was leaving the house to walk her dog around the park insight of her mum she mentioned she was also meeting someone called Sam. Mum didn't know a 'Sam'. Usually, she would not talk to boys being nine. Some quick thinking by Mum led to Uncle Sam being picked up by the police half an hour later. 

They later convicted him for abuse of a minor, following a full investigation. 

Comment: This shows the need for vigilance on all levels, that children must refuse and not speak with anyone online. A seemingly harmless piece of information almost led to a catastrophe. He got close to a kid by asking her dog's name, a very clever tactic. 

During COVID-19, we have noticed that parents have given kids more leeway, with less parental control and more time online. It is more important.
 

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