FBI reminding parents to protect kids from online, cell phone dangers

PHOENIX — As students go back to school, the FBI wants to remind parents to teach their kids about cell phone safety.

“Parents need to have honest conversations with their kids about the various dangers that exist online,” said Martin Hellmer, FBI supervisory special agent in Phoenix.

“They need to ensure that privacy settings are set to the highest level, and they need to monitor their kids’ online activity.”

Hellmer said there are predators online looking to take advantage of kids. They tend to use apps and social media sites that are popular among kids.

He said that’s why it’s important for parents to monitor their kids’ phones and to know which apps and sites they’re using.

Plus, parents should teach their kids to be skeptical of anyone they meet online.

“The people who they are meeting are not always who they say they are, and they could very well be talking to predators,” Hellmer said.

There are a number of steps parents can take to ensure the privacy settings on their kids’ cell phones are set to the highest level, including turning off the geolocation setting, which tracks a phone’s location.

Parents can also set restriction on any number of apps as well as limit the websites their kids visit and the content they’re allowed to view.

Parents who believe their children have been victims of an online scam should file a complaint online with the FBI.

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