Parent Advice from West Midlands Police
1: Money Mules: What Parents and Carers need to know
Parents and guardians in the West Midlands are being urged to warn their children about the dangers of becoming a money mule, with new figures revealing the number of 14-18-year-olds misusing their bank accounts has risen by 73 per cent in the past three years.
Sandwell Police is working with all secondary schools across the Borough to help reduce the vulnerability of young people to knife crime, and continue to work jointly with Sandwell Council, School Councils and Head Teachers to understand the reasons behind a small number of our youth carrying weapons.
3: A safety message: Letter to Parents
It’s that time of year again where communities will be enjoying celebrations including Halloween, Diwali and Bonfire night. These celebrations provide opportunities for us all to enjoy time with our families and friends, and as children break‑up from school this week, Sandwell Police Partnerships would like to share a message about keeping safe over this busy holiday period.
4: App: Unico Live
West Midlands Police have been made aware of a worrying social media app circulating around children called UNICO LIVE. The app is publicised as age restricted 12+ and designed for young people to upload videos of them performing, singing and dancing etc. It has also come to their (West Midlands Police) attention that there is inappropriate content on the platform involving young people which is being investigated. The content does not appear to be monitored and we urge you to be vigilant and check your children's mobile phones and reduce the risk of any child being sexually exploited.
5: Risky Website:
West Midlands Police and Sandwell Childrens Trust have been made aware of a website called Omegle which is a free online chat website that allows users to socialize with others without the need to register. The service randomly pairs users in one-on-one chat sessions where they chat anonymously using the names "You" and "Stranger". We urge you to be vigilant as predators have been known to use the site.