Parents are urged to closely monitor their children's online gaming activities, warning that predators may use games to gain their trust and potentially harm them.
The Ministry of Children says while online games can be fun, they also carry serious risks for children.
The Ministry says predators may pretend to be friends in gaming rooms and online games, offering children game tokens, skins or upgrades to gain their trust and attention.
They are warning that predators may also try to move conversations away from gaming platforms, which can lead to harmful requests and exploitation.
The Ministry is encouraging parents to have regular conversations with their children, use parental controls, know the games their children play and be aware of who they are communicating with online.
Parents and children who need assistance or have concerns about child safety can contact the Child Helpline on 1325.
Online safety concerns can also be reported through the Online Safety Helpline on 1548.
