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Family guides / Digital safety

My child received a message from a stranger: what should I do?

Learn to offer support, assess threats, record information, and seek help when a child receives unwanted messages or online harassment.

By AlkateiaUpdated September 20, 20263 min read

In this guide
  1. What should you check first? Ask who sent it, on which app, what was requested, and whether the sender knows where the child is. Check for attempts to arrange meetings, threats, or disclosure of information. If danger is immediate, find a safe place and call 190 in Brazil. Do not wait for app support to respond before acting in an emergency. (Federal Government of Brazil)
  2. How can you preserve information without spreading harm? Record usernames, profile addresses, dates, times, and report reference numbers when available. Text screenshots may help preserve context. If intimate material involving a minor exists, do not download more or forward copies: tell authorities and follow their guidance. Do not publish the case with identifying details about the child. (UNICEF)
  3. Are blocking and reporting the same? No. Blocking limits contact from an account; reporting notifies the platform for assessment. When possible, record necessary information and use both. A blocked person may return under another profile, so review who can initiate messages. Reporting does not guarantee immediate removal. (UNICEF)
  4. What should I do if my child is being harassed online? For persistent sexual pressure, threats, blackmail, or exploitation, seek guidance from Brazil's Civil Police and protection services. Dial 100 receives human rights violation reports. The child may need health support and school involvement. Do not negotiate payments, confront the suspect, or expose the victim to “warn everyone.” (Federal Government of Brazil)
  5. How should phone use resume afterward? Agree on a simple way to ask for help again. Review contact controls and check how the child feels without turning every conversation into an interrogation. A closed family space may help communication with authorized people. Alkateia's invitation model is one way to organize communication; it does not replace investigating a case or supporting a victim.

First, listen to the child and check for threats, pressure, intimate requests, or immediate danger. An unknown message may be a mistake, advertising, or something more serious; respond according to its content. Do not blame the child for telling you or ask them to keep talking to gather evidence.

What should you check first? Ask who sent it, on which app, what was requested, and whether the sender knows where the child is. Check for attempts to arrange meetings, threats, or disclosure of information. If danger is immediate, find a safe place and call 190 in Brazil. Do not wait for app support to respond before acting in an emergency. (Federal Government of Brazil)

How can you preserve information without spreading harm? Record usernames, profile addresses, dates, times, and report reference numbers when available. Text screenshots may help preserve context. If intimate material involving a minor exists, do not download more or forward copies: tell authorities and follow their guidance. Do not publish the case with identifying details about the child. (UNICEF)

Keep records restricted. A relatives' or school group should not become an archive of sensitive evidence. If unsure what to preserve, seek police guidance before handling the content.

Are blocking and reporting the same? No. Blocking limits contact from an account; reporting notifies the platform for assessment. When possible, record necessary information and use both. A blocked person may return under another profile, so review who can initiate messages. Reporting does not guarantee immediate removal. (UNICEF)

What should I do if my child is being harassed online? For persistent sexual pressure, threats, blackmail, or exploitation, seek guidance from Brazil's Civil Police and protection services. Dial 100 receives human rights violation reports. The child may need health support and school involvement. Do not negotiate payments, confront the suspect, or expose the victim to “warn everyone.” (Federal Government of Brazil)

Unwanted contactSupport, review access, and block.
Suspected violenceRecord the context and seek protection.
Immediate dangerContact emergency services.

How should phone use resume afterward? Agree on a simple way to ask for help again. Review contact controls and check how the child feels without turning every conversation into an interrogation. A closed family space may help communication with authorized people. Alkateia's invitation model is one way to organize communication; it does not replace investigating a case or supporting a victim.

Sources and references

  1. UNICEF — Cyberbullying: what is it and how to stop it
  2. Federal Government of Brazil — Report human rights violations / Dial 100
  3. SaferNet Brasil — Online child sexual grooming

Sources accessed September 20, 2026. Informational content produced by Alkateia; information about the app describes its own features.