There are countless apps and websites that can be dangerous for children, and parents often know to monitor them.
What many don’t consider is how criminals can manipulate apps that seem innocent.
LETGO is an app where people can meet up to buy and sell items in their area. Lieutenant Michael Johnson says that apps like LETGO and any other portal to the internet can be an opportunity for criminals to seek out children.
“Just because it’s a marketplace or a certain thing or you think the app based on its name is limited to a certain activity, that doesn’t mean a criminal isn’t going to be on the other end,” said Johnson.
On Friday, Boaz police arrested 31-year-old James Bresett for soliciting a 14-year-old girl using the LETGO app. Bresett offered the girl money in exchange for sex. Fortunately, the girl told her parents about the messages she’d gotten.
Police say to talk with your kids about cyber safety and encourage them to tell you if they get messages that make them feel uncomfortable.
