Be careful who you trust. Traffickers can be someone the victim knows – an employer, a parent, or a romantic partner. These tips can help you protect yourself.
Be cautious online. Traffickers are learning to adapt their recruitment methods to be effective online. Traffickers may message a person on social media and garner their trust, use phishing links (the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies to induce individuals to reveal personal information) or viruses to learn a person’s geolocational information, or post fake job advertisements. Be careful when talking to a stranger online, especially if they ask to meet in person. Do not click on suspicious links or respond to spam text messages to avoid unintentionally sharing your personal information. Research jobs before providing your information on an application. Be mindful that jobs that sound too good to be true sometimes are.
Ask for help. If you believe you are being manipulated or exploited, seek help. Authorities and peers can help you notice warning signs you may have missed, and they can remove you from an abusive situation. Of course, call 911 in emergencies. Friends and family were the number one source of assistance for trafficking victims from 2018 to 2020, according to Polaris. In 2020, 40% of identified victims confided in friends and family for help. More formal resources, such as police and the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), are also available.
Visit the Blue Campaign website for more information on how to protect yourself and get help.