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Who do I complain about someone online?

Hi

I have just found out that my 18 year old daughter has been having a long distance online 'relationship' with a 62 year old man who is based in the USA. Apparently this has been going on since she was 16!!!
I'm absolutely livid that this creature has been able to do this for so long and whilst I know that my daughter is now 18, a lot of what has gone on before was under 18 - illegal (I think) in the US.

There must be some authority in the states who I can notify? I have his name, a company he has worked for and current/former address.

Can anyone advise me where the best point of call is start the process.

Thanks
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Comments

  • El_Torro
    El_Torro Posts: 2,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    His local police authority? There should be a phone number and / or e-mail address for them online.

    Do you have evidence you can give them?
  • El_Torro wrote: »
    His local police authority? There should be a phone number and / or e-mail address for them online.

    Do you have evidence you can give them?

    Not a right apart from some messages and what other people have told me
  • DomRavioli
    DomRavioli Posts: 3,136 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Not a right apart from some messages and what other people have told me

    Well without evidence what would you expect anyone to do?

    You need hard evidence. Without that, you will get nowhere - so unless your daughter is willing to give evidence now and possibly in court, you're stuffed.
  • tiger_eyes
    tiger_eyes Posts: 1,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    Was this relationship sexual? Did he send or request indecent images or videos? Did he make any serious attempts to get her to meet for sex? If the relationship wasn't sexual, it's still inappropriate, but I'm not sure any laws have been broken.
  • Robisere
    Robisere Posts: 3,237 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    If you know his location, use this to find the nearest FBI Field Office:
    https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field

    Write a good, reasoned letter. They will be very interested, even if you do not live in the USA.

    Evidence? All they need is 'Probable Cause'. They will search his computer equipment.
    I think this job really needs
    a much bigger hammer.
  • dancingfairy
    dancingfairy Posts: 9,069 Forumite
    You could try the ceop website? Child exploitation &online protection. You might find helpful info in there or get pointed in the right direction.
    Df
    Making my money go further with MSE :j
    How much can I save in 2012 challenge
    75/1200 :eek:
  • Lambyr
    Lambyr Posts: 439 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    The US version of CEOP is the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). You can make a report here: http://www.missingkids.org/cybertipline

    The age of consent varies in the US by state, and states also have different laws regarding what counts as inappropriate behaviour towards a child. It may be that providing he didn't try to get her to send inappropriate pictures (or sent them to her), lie about his age or meet up, there may not have been a law broken.
    She would always like to say,
    Why change the past when you can own this day?
  • Person_one
    Person_one Posts: 28,884 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I'd start with the police here, if a crime has been committed then this is where the victim lives. Ask to speak to someone from the CSE team if your daughter was a child when this started.
  • tiger_eyes wrote: »
    Was this relationship sexual? Did he send or request indecent images or videos? Did he make any serious attempts to get her to meet for sex? If the relationship wasn't sexual, it's still inappropriate, but I'm not sure any laws have been broken.

    It's still simmering at the moment but I understand there have been visual exchanges online and allegedly he was meant to be coming to the UK.

    Fully understand that I don't have enough to convict but as a Dad, trying to protect his vulnerable daughter, I have no qualms about him getting a knock on the door from the authorities
  • hollydays
    hollydays Posts: 19,812 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    It's still simmering at the moment but I understand there have been visual exchanges online and allegedly he was meant to be coming to the UK.

    Fully understand that I don't have enough to convict but as a Dad, trying to protect his vulnerable daughter, I have no qualms about him getting a knock on the door from the authorities

    Definitely speak to CEOP
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