For many, summertime is a time filled with pool parties, traveling and enjoying the warm summer sun. Unfortunately, with all the summertime excitement going on, predators are also lurking. While teens are off during the day and parents are at work, there are many ways for your kids to get into trouble. Internet predators know your child is more unattended during the summertime, children often run away more during the summer, and many children are vulnerable when traveling between parents over summer vacation. Here are a few ideas to keep your kids safe this summer.

When it comes to internet predators, they can be very savvy in building fake social media profiles, so to you and your child they may pass as an average kid from a neighboring school, but we have some tips to help protect you and your child. First, keep an open line of communication with your child and find out who he or she spends the majority of time talking to online. Ask your child to show you their new friend’s profile. Clue into certain pictures on the new friend’s page; if they go to a neighboring school, does their profile show them at school or in other areas in the neighboring town? Do any other friends of your child already know this new friend, and have they met the friend in person? Always pay close attention to your child’s internet usage, but especially during the summer months. Place regulations on online time for your child, and encourage him or her to play outside of the house with friends that you and your child know well.

Also, if you have split custody, or you are sending your child to a family member’s for the summer, it is important to be extra vigilant. When a child travels alone there is plenty of room for error. Make sure you have a flight attendant accompany your child from you to the plane, and from the plane to your family member. Ask your child to text message you as soon as the plane is about to depart and as soon as it lands. Runaways are often on the rise during the summer months because most kids have less supervision during the summer. Establish ground rules with your child that he or she will check in with you several times a day, through either phone calls or text messages.

The decision to hire a private investigator to keep an eye on your child, without taking away your child’s freedom entirely can offer the best solution for allowing your child to enjoy the summer, while ensuring his or her safety.

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Many people don’t realize there are many services a private investigator can provide. The industry today far surpasses the “Colombo” days. The industry today is full of professional, ethical and moral individuals. Some private investigators only specialize in certain areas while others are a full service agency. Many of the services provided, that the general public is not aware of, include the following:

Education/Experience/Resources
Most private investigators, but not all, come from Law Enforcement backgrounds or criminal justice degrees and/or careers. Their training and experience alone can expose them to resources and tools that the average person does not. Furthermore, most individuals don’t have the time, education, legal liability knowledge, skills or training to perform an investigation on their own. Many individuals do not want their own privacy compromised. There are many risks involved in performing an investigation and it is best to let the professionals, who have the knowledge, perform the task.

Benefits for Business Owners/Employers/Individuals
In today’s society, performing a background check on your potential employee is critical. This could be a staff member, business partner, household employee, nanny, etc. These are all individuals that should be checked thoroughly. Private Investigators have access to databases unavailable to the general public. A private investigator will also have the skills to dig deeper into a person’s history. You may also be checking on a potential relationship partner. With the increase of internet dating it has become imperative that you perform safe dating checks to avoid entering into a potentially dangerous or volatile situation.

Domestic and Criminal Investigations
Many attorneys, as well as individuals going through a civil or criminal law suit, need the assistance of a Private Investigator. Most attorneys don’t have time to do the digging in their client’s case. Many cases are won in court with the assistance of a Private Investigator and the evidence they collected. Licensed Private Investigators are considered Expert Witnesses. Private Investigators can interview subjects, perform surveillance and prove the facts they provide. Anything they personally observe is considered credible testimony in court.

Bringing families together
In cases of runaways, missing persons, or long lost friends and relatives, Private Investigators can work in the courts, along with other resources, in order to find these missing or lost individuals. Sometimes a Private Investigator is the only answer. Once the information is obtained, you will know it was collected in a legal and professional manner.

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There are about two million cases of teenage runaways in America each year. The majority of them are under the age of 18. To put it in more relatable terms, the annual number of teenage runaways is equivalent to the number of people in Houston, Texas. On average, 1/3 of them will be sexually abused; another third will attempt suicide; about 1/10 are thought to be pregnant.

That’s why it’s imperative that every parent know the Dos and Don’ts of how to find a runaway. Time is of the essence in every case, and the following steps can help you save your child from becoming a statistic.

DO: Call the police. Immediately. Police are trained specifically in how to find a runaway, so alerting them immediately means they can starting looking as soon as possible.
DO: File a Missing Persons report, and ask your local law enforcement to issue an Amber Alert if possible. Contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, as well as any local community services that offer runaway hotlines.
DO: Make color copies of as many up-to-date photos of your child as you can. Distribute those photos in local hangouts, schools, restaurants and shopping plazas.
DO: Ask your child’s friends, schoolmates and teachers if they’ve seen your missing son/daughter. A number of teenage runaways will “let slip” valuable information about their whereabouts, or about their general plans for leaving.
DO: Activate the tracking devices for cell phones – yours and theirs. It may give the police a lead about your child has gone, and will help them keep in touch with you in case any evidence is uncovered. Ask other family members to install tracking devices for their cell phones, too, just in case your missing child makes contact.

DON’T: Touch your computer. At all. There could be valuable information stored in emails, instant messages and social media posts.
DON’T: Cancel any bank accounts or credit cards your child can access. Teenage runaways may use them for gas money or to make purchases, which can help law enforcement officials locate your child more quickly.
DON’T: List your home telephone number on “Missing” posters. Direct all inquiries and tips to your local police station.
DON’T: Turn off your child’s cell phone. Even if you haven’t activated any of the phone provider’s tracking devices for their cell phones, the cops may be able to get a location of your child by monitoring the number.
DON’T: Expect everything to be the same when your child returns. Remember that your child is frightened and angry, too. Seeking help from a counselor who specializes in teenagers and parenting is a good way to make sure everyone involved has a chance to air out their feelings.
DON’T: Be afraid to hire a private investigator. PIs work with the police all the time; their ultimate goal is to help you and your children reunite. When it comes finding teenage runaways, every little bit can help.

Professionals Know Best How to Find a Runaway Teen

It’s impossible to truly understand how a parent feels when a child runs away, but it’s safe to assume that you’ll be scared, angry, confused and/or depressed. You may also feel as though you’re better equipped to conduct a search than a private investigator or the local cops. After all – they’re “strangers,” right? Who knows your child better than you?

But it’s important to be realistic. A professional investigator will know how to find a runaway far more quickly and efficiently than you will. PIs have been trained to find missing persons, and they’re able to survey the situation in a much more objective manner. They may have access to police records that you won’t have, and can reach out to a vast professional network for help.

Teenagers and Parenting: How to Prevent Your Child from Running Away

Ideally you’ll never need any of the information you just read, because your child won’t leave home without telling you first. But most teenage runaways aren’t looking for attention: they’re looking for a way out of a bad situation. If you think your child might be planning to run it’s time to sit down and hear him/her out. Ask your child if s/he’s happy – and be open-minded about the response. Listen to what s/he says, and ask questions. You may not like what you hear, but becoming accusatory (“How could you hurt me like that?”) or placing blame (“It’s your fault I yell all the time: you never help me around the house!”) will escalate a bad situation quickly.

Make it a point to learn the names of your kids’ friends, teachers and employers/fellow employees. Keep a record of their license plate numbers and the types of cars they drive. Don’t be afraid to ask for the names of your children’s friends’ parents, either. Your teen may gripe a bit about you being “nosey,” but information like that makes it easier for you to stay up-to-date on your kids’ lives. In the end, it’s better to know what your child is up to than have to learn how to find a runaway teen.

The post What to Do about Teenage Runaways appeared first on She Spies Private Eye.

• Shop during daylight hours. Try to avoid shopping later at night, when it’s dark.  If you must go out at night, choose shopping centers with well-lit parking lots or garages, and keep your keys out while you walk.
• Don’t open car doors from far away. The remote that activates your car locks might seem like a useful tool — especially when you have lots of packages or bags — but if you open your doors too soon before you get to the car, you’re allowing potential predators to jump into your car.
• Report “lurkers.” One of the most useful safe shopping tips comes from your gut: if it looks “wrong,” or if you feel uncomfortable, let a security guard or law enforcement officer know. Runaway teenagers may consider turning to theft if they’re hungry or cold during the holiday season, so report anyone who makes you feel unsafe, regardless of their age.
• Avoid carrying a purse/wallet in your back pocket. Keep your driver’s license, cash and credit cards in your front pocket, for easy access and easy reach. It’s more difficult for someone to pick your front pocket, and purses and pocketbooks can attract thieves. Identity theft protection tips such as this may help you keep more than just your belongings safe, too.

Identity Theft Protection Tips that Work

For people who shop both in stores and online, we offer identity theft protection tips to keep your holidays from turning into your nightmares. Being alert may help you avoid losing your identity to hackers or thieves this year.

• Don’t save your information online. It’s so much simpler to save your banking information on the sites you use often — but it makes it much easier for internet predators to steal that information.  Take the few extra moments to fill in your credit card information every time you shop — and only use sites designated as “safe” by your online protection services.
• Don’t carry unnecessary information with you. One of the best identity theft protection tips law enforcement or investigators can offer involves keeping your identification papers at home, where they belong. Carry only what you need, such as a driver’s license, and leave what you don’t, such as passports.
• Get credit cards with your picture on them. If your bank card has your picture on it, it’ll be harder to use it in person for a thief who looks nothing like you.  There are pro’s and con’s to this idea, so discuss with your credit card company as to what is the best option is for you.
• Changes your passwords. Our safe shopping tips for online shoppers involve changing passwords and security questions and answers. If you use the same passwords for all of your social media and online shopping accounts, create new passwords for each site.

Prevent Kidnapping and Runaway Teenagers this Year

Tensions run high at the holidays. People are distracted, and sometimes we lose sight of what’s important. But by talking to your teens and children, you can keep your loved ones safe and prevent kidnapping attempts. As soon as possible, do the following:

• Leave kids at home with a trusted babysitter during shopping trips, which can help you prevent kidnapping from a crowded place.
• Don’t allow children to shop in the store without you.
• Teach your children their full name and address, as well as their phone number, in case they become separated.
• Teach children to wait for you at a register in the store. Store clerks and security officers can page you over the intercom.
• Talk to your kids. Runaway teenagers are often under a lot of pressure, from themselves or someone else. Encourage them to discuss their problems with you in a stress-free environment, and really listen to their concerns.

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