Online Enticement

Online Enticement occurs when someone is communicating with a child via the internet with the intent to exploit them. In most cases, there is a sexual intent. The online enticement of children occurs in a variety of ways and involves boys and girls of all ages.

 Some methods include:

• Engaging the child in sexual conversation / role-play as a grooming method
• Asking the child for sexually explicit images of themselves 
• Developing a positive rapport with the child, often through compliments, praise, discussing "shared" interests or acting caring/empathic, "liking"/commenting on children’s online posts, Sending unprompted sexually explicit images of themselves
• Pretending to be younger often by lying to the children
• Offering sexually explicit images of themselves to children 
• Offering something (other than images) in exchange for fulfilling their goal such as some type of financial incentive (e.g. money, gift card, etc.); promises to buy them goods/gifts; substances (e.g. alcohol, drugs, cigarettes) and; other necessities, such as lodging, transportation or food.

 According to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC), their CyberTipline received 18.4 million reports in 2018; most involving child pornography, online enticement, sex trafficking and child sexual molestation. 

 In this video, the Department of Justice and NCMEC explore the dangers of sharing images online.