Online Crimes Against Kids On The Rise: What Maine Parents Need To Know To Keep Their Kids Safe

Whether they're doing homework online, using tablets to play games, chatting with their friends on their phones, or even just scrolling through YouTube or social media, kids spend way more time connected to the web now than they ever have before.

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Regardless of your opinion on the technology, the fact remains that kids who are connected to the web via online devices are at risk of becoming targets of predators or scammers.

To give you an idea of just how bad the problem of online crimes against kids has gotten, take a look at these startling statistics from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. In just one six-month period, the number of reports of online enticement, sadistic online enticement, and financial sextortion of kids to their cybertip line almost doubled from January to June of 2025, as compared to the same timeframe in 2024.

But there are shockingly worse methods of online abuse that have skyrocketed.

"Reports of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) related to child sexual exploitation soared from 6,835 reports to 440,419."

Instances of Child Sex Trafficking went from just under 6,000 to over 63,000!

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The man in charge of the Exploited Children Division, Senior VP John Shehan, put it bluntly in one online publication:

“These alarming increases are a wake-up call... These statistics are not just numbers – they represent children experiencing unthinkable harm. We need parents, caregivers, educators, and communities to stay alert and talk openly with children about online risks.”

June is Internet Safety Month. As such, local agencies like the Maine State Police Special Victims Unit are teaming up with National agencies like the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC for short) to get the word out to caregivers on the importance of keeping your kids safe when they venture out into the world wide web.

We recently spoke with Sgt. Joshua Lander, who heads up the Special Victims Unit here in Maine, about what law enforcement agents are seeing for issues locally, and what parents and kids need to keep in mind when they spend time online.

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While many Mainers tend to have a false sense of security, believing that internet crimes against kids happen in other parts of the nation, Sgt. Lander says Maine has already seen its fair share of tragedy when it comes to online incidents, and points to the case of Glenburn teen, Nichole Cable, who was stalked on the popular social media platform Facebook by someone posing as a friend and was ultimately killed in the Spring of 2013.

With the advancement of technology, AI, and video games, the risks are even higher now.

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Certain games that have online chat components, like the popular ROBLOX, may seem like harmless places for kids to play online. But experts say there are hidden dangers many parents aren't even aware of.

Sgt. Lander says there are things you can do to help teach your kids what to do so they don't become victims, and it all starts with a conversation.

He says creating an open line of communication and trust is one of the most important things parents can do to combat online abuse.

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Make sure your kids are aware of the dangers, but also feel safe and empowered to come to adults without the fear of punishment or ridicule if they do end up in a dangerous situation.

Building upon that foundation of trust and communication, it's important that caregivers discuss what should and should not be shared online. It should be made clear to children that sharing personal information like birthdays and addresses is not ok. It's also important that kids understand that once something is shared, it's out of their control. So sharing information, or more importantly, images, can have serious consequences.

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Sgt. Lander says that folks should teach kids to "Stop, Block, Tell & Report."

If something feels off or someone starts asking for personal information, stop talking with them immediately.

Block them, if possible.

Tell a trusted adult.

Then report it to one of the local or national safety agencies.

Caregivers should also explain to children that not everyone is who they say they are online. There are plenty of people posing as "friends" or peers who are often anything but.

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Read More: Maine Police Video Shows How Fast Online Predators Can Lure Kids

Maine State Police even made a video a few years back that showed just how quickly kids can get into dangerous situations by chatting with people they thought were friendly online.

There are programs and apps, such as Bark and Aura, that can help parents monitor their kids' online activity. Many of them are available for laptops, tablets, and even cell phones.

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There are also websites, like nofilter.org or missingkids.org, that have methods to help if you need, and great resources on how to talk to your kids about online safety.

On June 23rd, there will be an online webinar that parents can take part in. The national Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will host the talk, focusing on how to keep kids safe online and when they're gaming.

You can register for that webinar by clicking here.