What are the signs of grooming in online games?

Grooming is how someone builds trust with a child so they can exploit them later. NCMEC calls the online version online enticement. Its CyberTipline received 1.4 million online enticement reports in 2025, up 158% from 2024, and NCMEC says it happens across platforms, “including online gaming, social media and messaging apps” (NCMEC CyberTipline data). Most kids who play online games will never meet someone like this. Knowing the pattern helps you spot it early if one does.

How it typically starts in a game

The FBI warns that predators befriend kids “often on social media and gaming platforms” (FBI). In a game, the pattern often looks ordinary at first:

• A friendly, helpful player. The FBI says predators often befriend children by offering game tips or game currency (like Robux or V-Bucks), and may pose as a friendly adult or a kid the same age (FBI gaming PSA).
• Flattery and attention. NCMEC lists building rapport through compliments and “liking” a child's posts, and pretending to be younger, among the most common tactics in CyberTipline reports (NetSmartz tip sheet).
• Gifts. NCMEC says offenders offer incentives such as gift cards (NCMEC: online enticement).
• Secrecy. A kid being groomed may take extra steps to hide what they're doing online (NetSmartz).
• “Let's talk somewhere else.” The FBI's February 2026 warning says to be suspicious if someone you met on one game or app asks you to move to a different platform (FBI Kansas City, Feb 2026). Lawsuits allege predators meet kids in Roblox games, then move them to apps like Snapchat and Discord (Kentucky AG complaint).

None of these alone proves anything — kids make real friends in games. It's the combination that matters: an online-only “friend” who gives gifts, wants secrecy, and wants to move to a private app.

Signs a parent might notice at home

NCMEC's red flags for a child experiencing online enticement (NetSmartz tip sheet):

• Spending more and more time online.
• Getting upset when they're not allowed on their device.
• Taking extra steps to hide what they're doing online.
• Receiving gifts from people you don't know — in games, that includes in-game currency or items.

Also worth a gentle question: a new online friend they won't name, or a new app you didn't know they had. The FBI notes that games let players talk through headsets, webcams and chat rooms, and describes a predator who suggested moving to a private chat app (FBI gaming PSA).

What to say to your kid

Your goal is to keep them talking to you. NCMEC's advice: ask, even if they might not tell you everything — regular conversations build trust. And don't pull the plug: taking away internet access because they made a mistake “doesn't solve the problem” (NetSmartz).

• Start curious, not worried: “Who do you like playing with? How did you meet them?”
• Make the rule about the other person, not them: “If anyone online asks you to keep a secret, send a picture, or move to another app, that's on them. Tell me and you won't be in trouble.”
• Name the gift trick: “Free Robux from a stranger usually comes with a catch.”
• Ask to play together. NCMEC suggests it — kids are more likely to respect your rules when you respect their interests.

If something has already happened, say it plainly: it is not their fault. The FBI notes it is not a crime for a child to send images if they were compelled or coerced (FBI gaming PSA).

What to do if you suspect grooming

1. Stay calm and reassure your kid. You want them to keep telling you things.
2. Don't contact or confront the person. Leave that to the platform and police.
3. Save everything. Screenshot chats, usernames, profile pages and gifts. The FBI says to keep all original messages and logs and not to delete anything before law enforcement can review it (FBI gaming PSA).
4. Block and report in the game. On Roblox, a linked parent can open Friends → Manage to Block or Report someone (Roblox Parental Controls Overview).
5. Report to NCMEC's CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678, NCMEC's 24-hour line (NCMEC).
6. Contact police — your local department or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov (FBI Kansas City). Share usernames, apps used and a description of what happened (FBI gaming PSA).

If someone is threatening to share images, see child sextortion: what to do now. The FBI says paying doesn't guarantee the images won't be shared; offenders often share them anyway (FBI Kansas City).

Prevention settings that help

The FBI recommends setting privacy settings to the strictest level and limiting play to people your kid or another adult knows (FBI gaming PSA). Here's where those settings live:

Two limits to know. Apple's Allowed Contacts covers only Phone, Messages and FaceTime — not chat inside Roblox, Fortnite or Discord (Apple). And Roblox has no parent switch for links to other apps, though it blocks links in chat and, since June 2026, kids under 16 can't see social media links on profiles or game pages (Roblox press release; Roblox Safety FAQ). A request to “add me on Discord” can still be typed out, so your kid knowing the red flag matters most.

For more on chat settings across games, see my kid is talking to strangers in online games.