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We’ve shown you how undercover officers with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office catch online predators, but new data shows a record high number of cyber tips in North Carolina to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
While your students were home for the summer, the sheriff’s office was patrolling more than the streets. The team of investigators used popular social media websites to catch predators behind their screens.
ALSO READ: 5 arrested after undercover human trafficking sting in Rowan County
“What’s your reason behind, doing this big push now?” Channel 9’s Hannah Goetz asked the sheriff’s office.
“School’s out, kids are going to have more access to internet, and we just want to set the tone and let people know that this is out here, what we’re doing,” one undercover detective said.
The detectives pose as underage children online, and they quickly find suspects who are attempting to solicit kids for sex. We saw the questions that the suspects asked first-hand.
“I mean I ain’t ever done a minor before,” one suspect wrote.
The suspects believed they were talking to children online and even showed up to meet them, only to find out they were really talking to detectives. One suspect was a registered sex offender.
You can report child exploitation to the NCMEC’s tip line at this link, or you can call 1-800-843-5678.
>>In the video at the top of this page, see the common tactics and conversations that predators will use to prey on children so that you can keep your kids safe.
(WATCH: 5 arrested after undercover human trafficking sting in Rowan County)
