The Ultimate Evil

A Child Abuse Awareness Blog

Sexting/Texting/Instant Messaging Codes

***NOTE***

I have found this article copied and pasted on other sites around the net that have not taken the proper precautions in delivering awareness. I compiled this list from various reliable sources with an informative disclaimer that adults also use these codes when speaking with other adults, all consenting.

While this article serves to educate the public on texting codes and symbols for their own benefit, especially parents seeking to protect their children from predators and dangerous peers, using it out of context damages the reputation of child abuse awareness volunteers.

While I would appreciate credit for this article should you choose to use it, the most important thing is that it is not used as a scare tactic by fanatics who see a boogie man behind every corner.

If you see this article on a site that doesn’t appear to handle awareness professionally or with a degree of experience, note that I more than likely have no idea it was copied and I did not consent to its use.  I do NOT endorse any site other than those I have posted in my “Support” tab or explicitly name in articles I have written.

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I’ve been coming across messages and searches of my site for “Sexting codes” and “what do text symbols mean?”. I’d like to now accommodate parents, teachers, guardians, and even kids who are approached by symbols they don’t know with some of the more popular codes and more dangerous ones to look out for.

Below are the codes I feel are the most important to know for safety, the ones in red are warning signs of sexual behavior/predator involvement.

For a more comprehensive look, please see Webopedia , Netlingo, Advanced Codes list, Text messaging and E-mail shorthand, and Business text messaging shorthand.

*Please note that some of the codes on the sites listed refer to gaming platforms.

^5 = High Five
121 = One to one
143 = I love you
182 = I hate you
2moro = Tomorrow
2nite = Tonight

411 = Information
420 = Marijuana
459 = I love you
4NR = Foreigner
4Q = Fuck you
8 = oral sex

86 = Get rid of
9 = Parent is watching
99 = Parent is no longer watching

A3 = Anyplace, anytime anywhere
AAF = As A Friend
ACORN = A Completely Obsessive Really Nutty Person
ADR = Address
AEAP = As Early As Possible
AFAP = As Far As Possible

AIGHT = Allright
AITR = Adult In The Room
AMAP = As Much As Possible

AML = All My Love

AMRMTYFTS = All my roommates thank you for the show
A/S/L – age, sex, location

B4N = Bye for now
banana = Penis
BF = Boyfriend

BFF = Best friend forever
BITCH = Basically in the clear homey
BJ = Blow job
BOB = Battery Operated Boyfriend

BZ = Busy
BRB = Be right back
BTW = Back to work

CICYHW = Can I copy your homework
CM = Call me
C-P = Sleepy
C/S = Change subject
COS = Change of subject
CBJ = Covered blow job
CD9 = Code 9, parents are around

CRB = Come right back
CRBT = Crying really big tears
CT = Can’t talk
CTC = Care to chat?
CU = See you
CUL8R = See you later
CUNS = See you in school
CUOL = See you online
CYE = Check your e-mail
CYO = See you online
CYT = See you tomorrow

DF = Dear friend
DGA = Don’t go anywhere
DH = Dear husband
DW = Dear wife

DIKU = Do I know you?

DL = Down Low (texts) Download (in context of attachments)

DLTM = Don’t lie to me
DNBL8 = Do not be late

DOC = Drug of choice
DOE = Depends on experience

DP = Domestic partner

DUM = Do you masturbate?

DURS = Damn you are sexy

DUSL = Do you scream loud?

DWB = Don’t write back

DWPKOTL = Deep wet passionate kiss on the lips

DYHAB = Do you have a boyfriend
DYHAG = Do you have a girlfriend

EMA = E-mail address
EML = E-mail me later
EMSG = E-mail message

F2F = Face to face
FAB = Features Attributes Benefits

FB = Fuck buddy
FILF = Father I’d like to fuck
FMLTWIA = Fuck me like the whore I am
FMUTA = Fuck me up the ass
FOAF = Friend of a friend
FTF = Face to face
FWB = Friends with benefits

FYF = From your friend

GTG = Got to go
G2G = Got to go
GAP = Got a pic? (pic = picture)
GBH = Great Big Hug
GF = Girlfriend
GLBT = Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender

GLG = Good looking girl

GLB = Good looking boy

GNOC = Get naked on cam

GOS = Gay or straight

GUD = Geographically undesirable

GYPO – get your pants off

H&K = Hugs and kisses
H4Y = Hot for you
HBIB = Hot but inappropriate boy

I&I = Intercourse and Inebriation
IBTC = Itty bitty titty committee
IDK = I don’t know
IF/IB = In the front or in the back
IIT = Is it tight?
ILF/MD = I love female/male dominance
ILU = I love you
ILY = I love you
IRL = In real life
IWSN – i want sex now

ITS – intense text sex

IWALU = I will always love you

J/O = Jacking off

KFU = kisses for you
KFY = Kiss for you

K4Y = Kiss for you

kitty = Vagina
KK = Kiss kiss

KOTC = Kiss on the cheek

KOTL = Kiss on the lips
KPC – keep parents clueless

KWSTA = Kiss with serious tongue action

L8R = Later
LB? = Like bondage?
LDR = Long distance relationship
LF = Let’s fuck (pedophile lingo would be Little Friend)
LHOS – Let’s have online sex

LHSO = Let’s have sex online

LKITR = Little kid in the room

LOL = Laugh out loud/lots of laughs/lots of love
LMAO = Laugh my ass off
LMFAO = Laugh my f*cking ass off
LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life
LTTIC = Look the teacher is coming

LUSM = Love you so much

LY = Love you
LY4E = Love you forever
LYWAMH = Love you with all my heart

MA = Mature audience
MILF = Mother I’d like to fuck
MIRL = Meet in real life
MorF = Male or Female
MOOS = Member of opposite sex

MOSS = Member of same sex

MOS = Mom over shoulder

MPFB = My personal fuck buddy

MSNUW = Mini-skirt no underwear

MTLA = My true love always

MUAH or MWAH = *it’s the sound of a kiss*

MUSM = Miss you so much

NP = Nosy parents
N/T = No text
NIFOC = Nude in front of computer

NRN = No reply necessary

OLL = Online love
OMG = Oh my god
OMFG = Oh my fucking god

P = Partner
P&C = Private and confidential
POS = Parents over shoulder

PIR = Parents in room

P911 = Parent alert

PA = Parent alert

PAW = Parents are watching

PAL = Parents are listening

PBB = Parent behind back

PHAT = Pretty hot and tempting
PLOS = Parent looking over shoulder

POM = Parent over my shoulder

PRON = Porn

pr0n = Porn (with a number 0 for O)

PRW = Parents are watching

QT = Cutie Q2C = Quick to cum

RL = Real life
RLF = Real life friend
RNN = Reply not necessary
ROFL = Roll on floor laughing
ROTFL = Roll on the floor laughing
ROFLMAO = Roll on floor laughing my ass off
RPG = Role playing games
RU? = Are you?
RU/18 = Are you over 18?

STFU = Shut the fuck up

TTYL = Talk to you later
TTFN = Tata for now
TAW = Teachers are watching
TDTM = Talk dirty to me
TM = Trust Me
TMI = Too much information
TT = Big tease
TYVM = Thank you very much

U = You
U UP? = Are you up?
UR = You are or Your

WTF = What the fuck
WYFM = Will you fuck me?
WYRN = What’s your real name

WYCM = Will you call me

XOX = Kiss Hug Kiss
XTC = Ecstacy

Y = Yes or Why?
YDKM = You don’t know me
YIWGP = Yes, I will go private

YW = You’re welcome

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please keep in mind that the circumstances and parties involved MUST be considered when determining the meaning of these and other symbols and phrases. These are just the dangerous side of terms and phrases that pertain to warning signs of a child or teen speaking with a predator or even a peer out to do them harm.

I have compiled this “Most important” list and following explanations with only the dangerous point of view in mind. None of this, of course, would apply to consenting adults or two high school friends having a normal teenage conversation about the movies or the mall.

“Age Sex Location” translates to: “I want to know if you fit my age of attraction, if you are the gender I want, and where you live so I can find you” when texted by a predator. It’s okay to tell the age and if you’re a female or male – this establishes evidence if a predator later claims not to know he/she was talking to a minor. But it is NO ONE’S business where you live. If you want to state the country, that’s fine, but not even naming a state is okay.

“Change subject/No text/No reply necessary” can be used to signal the other person that they are being watched.

“Come right back” or terms like “What took you so long?” or anything that makes the child feel rushed or obligated to respond is a warning sign of control, either by a predator or a peer. They should know they are under NO obligation to text/IM/E-mail anyone at any time, unless it is their parents. Anyone who makes them feel they have to report in should be left alone and exposed to parents or teachers immediately. This is a very unhealthy, controlling relationship. Even if it’s just a friend.

“Dear Friend” is not acceptable for an adult to tell a child. “Dear Wife/Husband” when said by a teen is a warning sign of a relationship that has gotten way out of hand, particularly if it is with an adult.

“DL” Down low means keep it secret/private. Downloading is a dangerous thing to do with people someone doesn’t know or trust. Kids should always know the risks involved in downloading something from another person, particularly someone they only know online. These can contain viruses, Trojans, worms, or even unsolicited pornography. Any of this activity can be brought the attention of law enforcement, particularly if anyone sends your child or teen a nude photograph – wanted or not, which can be considered a felony (depending upon the circumstances and evidence, plea bargaining etc…) when it is from an adult to a minor. (See Sexting for more of my thoughts on teen – to – teen behavior.)

“Do you masturbate/scream loud?” and any other personal questions regarding sex are no one’s business! Teens should understand that no one has the right to inquire such things, and if they do, they are to be ignored immediately and reported to a parent, teacher, and ultimately the police, whether the sender is known or not. Such questions are geared toward having a sexual relationship, and should be viewed as a serious threat.

“Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?” when asked by a stranger online is intrusive and should be ignored. “I’m sorry but that’s really none of your business,” would be the appropriate response. A teen may think it’s innocent curiosity, but they do not know who is asking that question. It is highly inappropriate for an adult to inquire that of a minor who they do not know, and if this is an online personality, there is no way the teen knows if this is an adult or an adult pretending to be a teen. The reason for an adult to ask this of a minor is because that adult wants to be that minor’s bf/gf. Even if the teen says yes, this will not dissuade the adult predator, only let him/her know the teen may be sexually active and they need only find a way to come between her/him and the real life bf/gf.

“Friend of a friend” translates to: I Am A Stranger!

“Friends with benefits,” “Fuck buddy,” and similar are exactly what they sound like.

“Face to face” means the person wants to meet offline.

“Got a pic” – kids/teens should NEVER share their photos with anyone they don’t know. They can never get them back and they never know who is doing the asking or for what purpose.

“In front” or “In back” refer to sexual positions.

“Is it tight” refers to a girl’s vagina/virginity.

“I love you” is never okay for a stranger to tell a teen/child, or vice versa.

“Parent/Mom/Teacher/Kid in room” is a sure sign there is something that NEEDS to be monitored. Adults have to remember THEY pay the bills and the child is THEIR responsibility. By “respecting a child’s privacy,” you are hanging a sign around your child’s neck saying, “Do what you want – I will completely ignore your sexual advances and illegal behavior that will ruin my child’s life forever.”

“Private” means that no one else can see the conversation, like if they were in a chat room. If it’s in an IM that is being monitored, this could also refer to private e-mails that no one else can read.

“Real life” refers to offline life, so if someone wants to meet IRL (in real life), they want to take their relationship from cyberspace into the real world for physical contact.

“Role playing games” on the internet more often than not involve online sex, and are highly addictive and emotional since the characters get to act out their deepest fantasies. RPG’s almost always result in offline meetings when kids or teens are involved. It’s a grooming tactic, a way for predators to help their victim become comfortable with sex. Please don’t confuse this with real games out there that involve taking over castles or defeating enemy armies. Use your judgment when you see you child engaged in a RPG, but remember that games which allow interaction with other gamers are just as dangerous if not more than chatting with strangers. Gamers become close friends online, and this is a way for a predator to form a tight bond with the target.

“What’s your real name?” and other questions asking address, private contact information, phone number etc.. are red light questions that someone is trying to get personal information to use in a way neither you nor your child will want.

“XTC” is a drug.

“XOX” is as we all know the symbols for kisses (x) and hugs (o); however, this has no place in the conversation between an adult and a minor.

“Take off your clothes,” and “Get naked on cam” etc… Sexually explicit dialogue is NEVER okay, not even teen-to-teen, and should be ignored immediately and reported to parents, teachers, and most importantly, police. What happens on text always has the potential of happening in real life, especially if the person is known to the teen. If the person is a predator, this could lead up to abduction and rape.

Code can be and is often used in sentences, as well:
“W4nt 2 go 2 the m411 t0d4y?” translates to: “Want to go to the mall today?”

To some, this list and the translations may seem reaching or even as the old adage goes: Seek and ye shall find, meaning if you’re looking for something bad, you’ll see it even if it’s not there. This, simply, is not the case here. These codes and their meanings are quite popular and no secret at all. I, myself, have used some of these codes in adult conversations. Those of us who use them know quite well what we mean when we say them, and we know minors have no business using them and no adult has any right using them with a minor.

If anyone has any to add, please do so in the comment section and I’ll update this post in the future. Any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to ask – as always, comments are held private until I approve them and can be kept private if the commenter asks me to do so.

…Before I end this, just to lighten the mood a little bit – and because I find this fascinating: Ever wonder what RSVP actually stands for? Well, here ya go! Répondez S’il Vous Plaît

July 20, 2009 - Posted by | Dangerous Trends, Internet Safety, Sexting

11 Comments »

  1. (copied over from original post)

    Very thorough list. Great job and thanks!!

    Comment by Sues | July 24, 2009 | Reply

  2. (copied from original post)

    Most welcome! I want to thank the person who was on my site at the time I was checking my stats. They were searching for sexting symbols, so I realized that’s the kind of post that needs to be posted with the other ones.

    Just goes to show that I AM listening and willing to help as much as I can – just gotta ask 😉

    Comment by TUECAA | July 24, 2009 | Reply

  3. I for one will be using this list in the future, as a print out. Again thanks for all the time and effort that you put into all your blogs, trust it doesn't go un notice.

    Comment by Anonymous | January 12, 2010 | Reply

  4. I’d like to comment on your comments towards role playing games (That’s also how they’re spelled) because I am an avid role player, now before you go deleting this comment let me explain what I mean by that.

    Because not all role playing is of a sexual nature and if anything the vast majority of it is actually fairly harmless, I can link you to numerous sites that do role plays which have no connection to sex or anything of a dubious nature.

    Because in truth a role playing game (In way of text) is nothing more then an interactive story that a person plays a character in a authors story, now I’m not saying there isn’t sexual role plays out there because there is.

    But to over generalizing that all role playing games are sexual in nature is not only naive but also misinformed and insulting to those of us who are real role players, so I’d like to say it’s fine to have kids not doing sexual role plays.

    Though if they’re playing role plays that are nothing more then a normal story that has no sexual components to it then you really shouldn’t push them away from that, because it often helps them in regards to literacy, teamwork as well as imagination and spur of moment thinking.

    Yes it’s online but that doesn’t mean things can’t be learned by online activities and your ideas about role playing really offended me, because I take pride in the stories I create for people to enjoy and play along with their characters in them.

    So please be more informed next time you make judgment calls on things you’re not obviously all that knowledgeable about, and if you want any of those links that I have that can prove my point then just ask.

    Comment by Shannon Wolfram | September 12, 2010 | Reply

  5. Shannon: Firstly, thank you for correcting the spelling. I have no idea why I never caught that before, especially because I have participated in several RPG’s, including an erotica writing group. Oh, I just blew your theory completely out of the water about not knowing what I’m talking about. That was fast. Killed two birds with one stone. Awesome!

    I gathered this information from law enforcement cases, the FBI, and the links I credited at the beginning of the post. These sources were posting as a precautionary informational to parents seeking specific guidance with sexting and texting codes. I made note that not all items were sinister, and that it had to be taken in context with the rest of the received message. Perhaps if you weren’t so worried about defending your lifestyle, you wouldn’t have missed that.

    RPG’s have been used for decades, even before they became electronic, to lure children into sexual behavior with adults. We know this because of the numerous arrests made of adults who introduced these games to minors, got them hooked, and convinced them “it’s just part of the game.”

    When RPG’s took to the world wide web, they became extremely difficult for children to understand the difference between their school and playground friends and the pedophile pretending to be a child. Adults even today have a hard time grasping that reality, as you show here.

    There is no good reason for an adult to play a sexually-charged RPG with a minor. Period. Many games out there aren’t centered around sex, but they do involve sex to a degree. Some are sex scenes within an otherwise action-packed game. Some are as simple as signs of affection, which grow between the characters (the possible predator and the child).

    There, really, isn’t even a good reason for an adult to be playing non-sexual RPG’s with children.

    Many online contacts between a predator and their victim never even include sexual activity. Such inclusion has the potential of A. getting them arrested if the person on the other end is a cop, and B. scaring off their target before they have a chance to arrange and offline meeting. Common sense plays a rather extensive role in keeping children safe.

    You claim to be a pro at RPG’s. If that’s true, you know how involved your emotions can get. You know, now, that I have experience with these. Anyone who does knows exactly what I am talking about, regardless of your attempt to play it down. This behavior when an adult knowingly engages his or her character with that of a child is called “grooming,” and it is a very real thing.

    What makes grooming in RPG’s more difficult to control than other forms of online and offline grooming is that to many parents, it’s just a game. They don’t see the danger in letting 11 year old Billy or 12 year old Samantha play an internet game of pretend. It’s just a game of battling warlords, wizards, or gangsters, or playing with virtual stuffed animals that meet other virtual stuffed animals, which so happen to belong to strangers that cannot be validated as really being children. It’s this naivete, often accompanied by mommy and daddy using the internet as a babysitter, that is a predator’s dream.

    I’ve performed my own experiments on so-called safe sites set up for “just children.” I look into EVERYTHING my daughter wishes to be involved in because she is more important to me than 10 more minutes shopping or watching TV.

    I’ve had child after child after child ding me with chat requests and attempt to immediately give me their personal information (real name, location, phone number, school). And actually, I don’t even know if all of those were children. Some or all of them could have been adult predators displaying trust so I (who they think is a child) will return the trust and divulge the same information. It happens.

    I subsequently turned over copies of the chats and personal messages, which I had no power to control even though the system thought I was a minor, to the sites’ administrators. As a result, I succeeded in having them change their security features and unencumbered freedom of the children to access each other and each others accounts.

    I was met with shock over the situation, concern over the brazen friendliness of the young members towards strangers, and sincere gratitude over alerting them to the dangerous situation in which they were putting their young members. I had one that denied the threat existed, even after they saw how easy it was for me, an adult, to gather such information. That site has since been shut down due to law enforcement investigation involving several reported “incidents”.

    Get involved in your local law enforcement’s special crime’s division and find out for yourself. There is a reason the FBI has a task force designed to combat these online RPG sites, and that reason stems from very REAL child abduction, child porn, and child rape cases!

    Quite frankly, I don’t give a rat’s ass if my exposure to the dangers of RPG’s offends you. I find it interesting that you are more interested in being offended over a warning to parents about sexual predators using RPG’s than you are of the very real dangers out there. Trying to discredit someone’s warnings on such things, validated by numerous arrests of predators hunting their prey on these games, makes you look like a pompous ass who would prefer to remain ignorant to the situation rather than lose attention or money. You’re disgusting.

    Comment by TUECAA | September 13, 2010 | Reply

  6. hi. i’ve been a victim of an online predator. he targets women in their early to mid-twenties. he is very manipulative and a very good liar. he makes u believe that he is looking for a relationship – true love. he will promise to come to u, marriage, children – basically the whole works. he will make u trust him and then ask for nude pics of u. he doesn’t ever send u any real pics of himself – he uses pics of a porn star. he makes u believe that he is extremely wealthy […]he preys on gullible, innocent, trusting girls. he goes by the name ——- or ——-. he says his daughters name is —–, his niece’s name is ——, and his nephews names are — and —. it is possible that he will change names if he finds out about these postings on the internet. i’ve been a victim and i’ve spoken to others who have also been trapped by him. i beg all the young women out there to plz be careful of him and other men lyk this on the internet. plz filter all pics that anybody sends u. i feel so disgusted when i think of all the girls that he has done this to. i would love to do something to stop him but i don’t know what to do. is there anybody out there who is willing to help me. let’s stop this man plz. let’s not let other girls get hurt by this man. he is evil. he will make u believe anything and i’ve found out that he is part of every social networking site out there. this is my plea to all the good people out there. let’s get this man plz.

    (COMMENT EDITED BY SITE OWNER TO PROTECT THE NAMES OF THE INNOCENT)

    Comment by avictim | February 25, 2011 | Reply

  7. avictim, you are a jackass. Quite frankly, you deserve whatever you got from this man.

    1. This is a CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS SITE. It is not a site for desperate women who are victims of their own stupidity!

    2. I will NOT permit some idiot with a vendetta a voice for her slanderous activities. I hope this man recognizes your post and contacts me for your information gathered by my tracking software. I’ll gladly supply it to his lawyers!

    3. The most disgusting thing you did here is try to twist your experience into some issue for child sexual abuse.

    You are a pathetic, desperate woman who claims to have supplied a stranger on the internet with nude photos of yourself and are now sour at your claim that he wasn’t really in love with you. You now expect to be able to come to sites about protecting CHILDREN from pedophiles and post this comment with the attempted insinuation he is such a predator.

    You and his other “victims” that you keep referring to as “girls” are grown ass women, and you knew what you were doing when you did it. No one forced you to send vulgar photos of yourself to a stranger. No one forced you to believe every word a strange man on the internet told you. No one forced you to fall in love with a complete stranger you have never met, never seen photos of, and refused to share any proof of his word or even existence. For all you know, it could be a woman keeping desperate home wreckers like you busy, or a bunch of kids in a high school getting their kick out of your gullible idiocy.

    I would be much more sympathetic if you left me a personal comment explaining your situation, acknowledging that you made a stupid mistake, and just wanted a shoulder to cry on. We all make mistakes, some of them whoppers and some of them break our hearts. To turn your situation that YOU caused into an issue for those of us fighting against child RAPE makes you a pathetic, disgusting individual not worth my time or compassion.

    The reason I am even bothering posting your comment here is to expose your stupidity. If anything, it warns young girls (under 18) about the dangers of posting their information online. For that reason alone I will post it, but I refuse to allow the names you posted to be made public because for all I know, you could be a scorned woman attacking an innocent man for not wanting you. And if that is the case, you show your true wickedness by posting the names of his child family members!

    Go post this garbage on a website dedicated to foolish desperate women who were taken in by their own stupidity. You are not welcome here.

    Comment by TUECAA | February 28, 2011 | Reply

  8. Dear Devastated Parent:

    What a coincidence! I’ve been on a short break from the site, but I’ve been busy off-site gathering information for a new post regarding phone and iPod apps. Feel free to return in the next week for something you can share.

    In the meantime, to get to your letter:

    I need to first tell you that I am not an employee of any branch of law enforcement, nor am I qualified to give out legal advice. I am a volunteer who has worked side by side with LE.

    That being said, I AM a parent and a concerned citizen and have every right to advise you on those terms.

    If you still have access to chat messages and anything at all passed between them, take screen shots of them all. Do you know how to do that? Press the Home button at the bottom of the flat screen and the power button at the same time while on the page you wish to “photograph”.

    Anything that was passed between them via chat can sometimes be saved to a file. I’m not sure what game this was or if it has the feature to save chats. Check it out.

    It doesn’t matter if anyone tells you that you cannot be helped under whatever circumstance they give. Gathering the information in one nice neat pile as soon as possible and as it happens when possible will help when action is finally able to be taken (if it is needed).

    Make sure any law enforcement officer you speak with gives you a case #. If they don’t provide you with one, tell them you want a file started on this immediately and you want the case number. In my experience, if you ask, they must open a file for you and add to it anytime you call them with another bit of information. I don’t know if this is true in all states, but it has been in ones I have been a part of. This way, there is an official jacket in the event this person tries to contact your child or your family. It adds up and shows a pattern they cannot deny in court.

    As for safety concerns, I completely understand your fear. Do you still have access to the account? Did you or your daughter send this person a final message?

    This is what I would do: I would send the person a message and inform them that the police have been made aware of their activity. I would tell them the police have screen shots and copies of everything, and that there is a report on file. Tell the person you have saved everything and are prepared to turn over the device and access to your account for the police to find them should they continue to try and contact your child or anyone in your family. (And yes, the FBI can do this if it comes down to it, and the FBI CAN and WILL become involved if this is occurring across state lines. Even inside the same state if necessary.). Tell them in no uncertain terms that they are never to contact your child again. Then leave it at that. Remove them from any account she has. If they try to be re-added, send that into the police for the file, as well. It goes to show contact/stalking of a minor against the parent’s wishes. Make sure you save a copy or a screen shot of the message you send the person. Don’t let your child back into the app, but you monitor it, yourself, to see if they try to contact her again.

    The next step I would suggest is to contact your local BACA chapter. Bikers Against Child Abuse is there to help children who have been abused to feel safe again and empowered against their abusers. I don’t know if there is much they can do at this point, but if you speak to the chapter president and explain what is going on and your fears, they may have someone in their chapter who can help you with the technical stuff, like getting the information from the device. There are members of law enforcement who are BACA members, as well, so they understand the letter of the law well. Besides, it gives you someone close you can turn to to talk to and to feel more confident. Let them know that you just need someone to help your family feel safe again, and speak of your fears. Be honest. All the BACA members I know have very big hearts and even if it’s not something they would normally take on, they will do everything in their power to help in some way. Go here: http://www.bacausa.com/Internet/ChaptersUS.php

    If there is anything else you need of me, please don’t hesitate to leave another comment. I will always respect your wishes and not publish anything you ask me not to publish.

    PS: Also, iTunes has a Terms of Service area. Read through it and see if this person violated anything. Contact iTunes and tell them of this person, too, and provide them the username associated with the game. I’m not sure what they can do, if anything, but again, you will have a report out there about this person. And iTunes will now have a report about this person in the event they do it again. Quite possibly, this person has been reported to iTunes already. This could be cause for iTunes to contact the FBI or some other agency that can stop this person. You can call the iTunes office, as well, and inquire about what you can do and what they can do to better protect kids from this person.

    I have to ask because I’m not sure: Did he ever say or do anything to concern you, or are you just concerned because of your daughter’s actions? I’m only asking because if he didn’t do anything, that may be the reason you are having difficulty. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t up to something! They are just this clever. Usually, however, they cower in fear when the parents come after them. Predators of children are very weak and simple minded, that’s why they prey on the vulnerable. Show your mom claws and let him know you will not hesitate to use them!

    Comment by TUECAA | May 10, 2011 | Reply

  9. Does anyone know what this symbol stands for?…… >)U

    Comment by Amy | June 26, 2014 | Reply

    • Hi, Amy! I need to update this post to show the symbol trends, or make a new one. As for your symbol, I’m looking into that. In the meantime, here is a rather thorough article about keyboard shortcuts and icon codes: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/texting-symbols-list.html

      “U” typically means “you”. I’m not sure about the greater than sign or the end parenthesis together before it, but I’ll look into it.

      A lot of these keyboard codes are for gaming systems or special apps that use codes to create pictures. For instance, < 3 turns into a heart, : ) turns into a smiley, (^^^) turns into a shark, B) is a smiley wearing sunglasses, <(") is a penguin, etc…

      Comment by TUECAA | June 29, 2014 | Reply

  10. This is a fantastic source for parents, teens, police, teachers, and social workers. Thanks for putting this together. I will use your site as a resource in the future and refer others.

    Comment by Holly | September 5, 2014 | Reply


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