If you are in immediate danger in the UK, call 999. If the danger is not immediate, you can still ask for help: contact police on 101 or your local safeguarding service, and tell someone you trust. You do not need proof before you reach out. If you are elsewhere, use your local emergency number, police, child-protection or adult-safeguarding service, and a trusted person.
Take the safest next step first
Grooming into crime can involve pressure, manipulation or threats that make it hard to see a safe way out. You do not have to decide whether a crime has legally occurred before asking for help. Tell a trusted person or safeguarding professional what is happening, and ask them to help you contact the right service.
If you are unsure what to say, start simply: “I’m worried someone is pressuring me to do things that could be criminal, and I need help staying safe.” You can explain the details in your own words. You do not need to use the word “grooming,” identify a particular offence, or have a complete account before someone can hear your concern.
If danger is happening now
In the UK, call 999 if you or someone else faces immediate danger. If you cannot safely make the call, move toward a safer place or a trusted person if you can do so without increasing the risk. Do not confront the person you suspect is exploiting you.
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Think first about the immediate risk, not about collecting evidence or working out exactly what has happened. If the person is nearby, has threatened you, or you fear that you or someone else may be harmed now, treat that as urgent. If you can’t make the call yourself, tell a trusted person nearby and ask them to contact emergency services. Outside the UK, use your local emergency number.
If there is no immediate emergency
In the UK, call police on 101 or contact the local authority service responsible for children’s social care or adult safeguarding. A young person can speak to a family member, teacher, health professional or social worker and ask them to help make contact. Professionals should follow their local safeguarding procedures; in an organization, this may involve the designated safeguarding lead.
There is no need to wait until the situation gets worse or until you can prove what someone intended. A non-emergency concern can still be shared with police or safeguarding services. If speaking to a service feels difficult, a trusted person can help you describe what is happening and contact the appropriate service. If the first person you tell is not able to help, consider telling another trusted adult or contacting a safeguarding service directly.
Outside the UK, emergency numbers, reporting routes and legal protections differ. Contact local police or emergency services, the relevant child-protection or adult-safeguarding service, and a trusted person who can help you navigate local options.
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Recognize what criminal grooming can involve
Grooming is the building of a relationship or manipulation of someone for abuse or exploitation. In criminal exploitation, a person may be coerced or enticed into offending. A child might be made to supply or transport drugs, store drugs, money or weapons, or take part in other criminal activity. County lines is one recognized form of this exploitation, but it is not the only one.
In county lines situations, possible warning signs include unexplained money or gifts, changes in behavior or peer group, repeated absences, being taken to unfamiliar places, or involvement with drugs or weapons. These are indicators, not proof. A single sign does not establish that someone is being groomed; professionals should consider the person’s account alongside other available information and respond with safeguarding in mind.
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Look at the wider situation rather than treating one detail as a test. A gift, a new friendship, an absence, or a change in behavior can have many explanations. What matters is sharing the person’s account and any relevant context with someone who can assess the concern. You are not expected to investigate whether the signs add up to a particular crime.
Apparent cooperation does not mean exploitation was freely chosen. Home Office guidance says people groomed and exploited into criminal activity should be treated as victims first and foremost, even when their involvement appears consensual or the line between victim and perpetrator seems unclear. That framing matters: asking for help is appropriate even if you have already done something you were pressured to do.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThis does not require you to settle, by yourself, what legal category applies or what the outcome of contacting authorities will be. It means you should not assume that accepting an offer, going somewhere, or taking part under pressure proves you freely chose exploitation. Describe what happened and the pressure or threats involved, and let safeguarding professionals consider it with the available information.
Choose a route to support in the UK
The right route depends on immediate safety, age, location and the kind of help needed. These are UK contacts; some services have particular eligibility or geographic limits.
| Need | Route | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger | 999 | Use for an emergency in the UK. |
| Police help when danger is not immediate | 101 | Police contact is not limited to emergencies. |
| Safeguarding help | Local authority children’s social care or adult safeguarding | Choose the service appropriate to the person’s age and circumstances; professionals should use local safeguarding procedures. |
| A young person who needs someone to talk to | Childline: 0800 1111; or a trusted adult | The National Crime Agency lists Childline and recommends speaking with a trusted adult. |
| County lines concerns for a young person or family member | Missing People’s SafeCall: 116 000 | The Home Office lists the service in England and Wales, with hours of 9am–11pm, seven days a week. Check current availability. |
| Anonymous reporting | Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111 | Listed by the National Crime Agency. Do not assume that every service offers the same confidentiality or anonymity. |
| Concern connected with rail travel | British Transport Police text: 61016 | The Home Office lists this route; use 999 for emergency danger. |
These routes do different jobs. For an emergency, use 999. For a police concern that is not an immediate emergency, 101 is available. A local safeguarding service is relevant when the concern is about a child or an adult who may need safeguarding support. A young person who mainly needs someone to talk to can try Childline or a trusted adult. SafeCall is specifically listed for county lines concerns involving young people and family members in England and Wales. Choose according to the immediate safety issue, the person’s age and location, and whether the need is emergency response, safeguarding help or someone to talk to.
The Home Office also lists Catch22 County Lines Support and Rescue in specified areas and Barnardo’s Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship Service at some sites. Coverage and access criteria vary, so check whether a service operates in your area and is appropriate for your situation. Availability and opening hours can change.
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The service list is UK-specific and should not be treated as a set of universal numbers. In particular, do not use UK contact details when you are in another country unless the service confirms it can help there. Find the local equivalent through a trusted adult or local safeguarding authority if you are unsure.
Tell someone what is happening
You do not need to present a complete case or prove a crime. Share what you know in your own words, including details that help someone understand the risk and find you or the person at risk.
- Who is involved, and how they are contacting or approaching you.
- What you are being asked or pressured to do, and whether there have been threats.
- Where and when events are happening, including any travel or places you have been taken.
- Messages, images, videos, travel details or other information you already have.
If you are worried about a friend, say that clearly and share what you have observed, as well as anything the friend has told you. Distinguish what you know directly from what you are unsure about. You do not have to decide whether the friend is being exploited, and you should not confront the person you suspect or put yourself at risk to check. A trusted adult, police or local safeguarding service can help determine an appropriate next step.
Home Office guidance says decision makers should consider the person’s account and other relevant information; corroborating evidence may not be reasonable to expect in every case. It is enough to ask for help with the information you have.
Keep information only if it is safe
If doing so is safe and practical, preserve relevant messages, images, videos, travel tickets, receipts and a dated log of incidents. Share what you have with police or safeguarding professionals. Do not take risks to collect more, keep engaging with someone to obtain proof, or confront a suspected exploiter. Your safety comes before evidence.
A dated log can be a short record of what happened and when; it does not need to be a detailed investigation. Keep only information already available to you or that you can preserve safely. If keeping material could put you at greater risk, do not make that the priority. You can still contact a service and explain what you remember.
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How to think about uncertainty and blame
You may feel unsure whether what is happening “counts” as grooming, especially if the person has offered money, gifts, friendship or protection, or if you have already taken part in criminal activity. Those details do not, by themselves, settle whether exploitation occurred. Tell a trusted person or professional what happened and let them help assess the risk; do not wait until you can prove someone else’s intent.
The official guidance’s victim-first framing is relevant even when the person’s activity appears consensual or the distinction between victim and perpetrator is unclear. If you were pressured, manipulated or threatened, include that when you ask for help. Do not let fear that you will be blamed prevent you from telling a trusted person or safeguarding professional what is going on.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Sources and jurisdiction
This guidance is primarily for England and Wales. The Home Office’s county lines guidance was updated on 20 October 2023; service availability and contact details should be checked for changes. The Metropolitan Police’s plain-language guidance says, “If you think you’re being groomed, you should tell someone.”
- Home Office: Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines
- Metropolitan Police: Grooming
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need proof before I tell someone?
No. The guidance does not require you to prove that a crime happened before asking for help. Share what you know and what you are worried about; decision makers should consider the person’s account alongside other relevant information, and corroborating evidence may not be reasonable to expect in every case.
What if I already took part in something criminal?
You can still ask for help. Home Office guidance says people groomed and exploited into criminal activity should be treated as victims first and foremost, including when their involvement appears consensual or the victim/perpetrator distinction is unclear. Do not assume this guarantees immunity from legal consequences; explain what pressure or threats were involved and ask a safeguarding professional about local options.
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What should I do if I think a friend is being groomed?
Tell a trusted adult, police or local safeguarding service what you have observed or what your friend told you. You do not need to decide whether exploitation occurred. Do not confront the suspected exploiter or put yourself at risk to investigate.
Should I collect evidence before contacting police or safeguarding services?
No. Asking for help does not depend on having evidence. If safe and practical, preserve relevant messages, images, videos, travel tickets, receipts or a dated log and share what you already have. Do not take risks or keep engaging with someone to gather proof.
Which UK number should I use?
Call 999 for immediate danger. For a non-emergency police concern, call 101. You can also contact local authority children’s social care or adult safeguarding. Young people can speak with a trusted adult or Childline on 0800 1111. Service details and eligibility can vary, so check current availability.
Are these phone numbers and services available outside the UK?
The listed numbers and services are UK-focused, primarily for England and Wales, and should not be assumed to work elsewhere. Contact local emergency services, police, child-protection or adult-safeguarding services, and a trusted person in your country.
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The Bottom Line
If you think someone is pressuring, manipulating or threatening you into crime, tell a trusted person or safeguarding service now. In the UK, call 999 for immediate danger or 101 for a non-emergency police concern. You do not need proof, and you should not put yourself at risk to collect it.
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