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Zepeto

4 replies

Holmsey25 · 05/12/2025 14:46

I discovered that my now 16 year old daughter was using this app a couple of years ago. She would chat with other users, who she didn't know personally and the chats became quite depressing and talked about selfharm. I had a chat with her and she agreed to stop using the app
I have recently found out that she is using it again and has been talking to someone. It's all alien to me, but her avatar and his avatar are 'engaged' He told her he lives in Brighton and that he wants to come to meet her. They've decided that they will meet when she finishes school in the summer. She even told him the name of her school and the park nearby. I can't believe how naive she's been!
He sent her a photo, to her credit she Google lensed it and its a picture of Ethan Garcia, an American influencer. He got quite defensive when she questioned him then his friends who my daughter is in a group chat on the app with defended him, saying it's his true identity and he likes to stay private.
Now, he told me daughter he was in hospital with a broken leg, at the same time the real Ethan Garcia was posting on tiktok with two fully working legs 😂, so clearly our Zepeto Ethan is lying.
She doesn't know that I know all of this yet, I had to snoop, which I feel awful about. She'd told us that she'd met someone called Ethan at school and was going to hang out with him at the end of the school year before he moves to Brighton. I gave a a number of opportunities to be truthful.

After that long post I guess my question is how to I approach this situation.
She always so honest and open with me

OP posts:
campervanpam · 06/12/2025 21:56

I think you are under-reacting. I know she's 16, but she's living under your roof, she's not an adult, and she hasn't finished school yet.

Tell her what you know, tell her how dangerous it is, and take the phone off her. Get her a basic phone that calls and texts.

There's a podcast that's just come out called 'Beth's Dead' that illustrates how easy it is to be catfished, and how dangerous it can be.

KilliMonjaro · 06/12/2025 22:44

Jesus. I’d report this person to the police. Take the app off her phone. Get her some counselling.

Pryceosh1987 · 07/12/2025 01:49

Your concerned, its okay to snoop around. Dont feel guilty about this.

Holmsey25 · 14/12/2025 16:23

Thanks everyone. We had another massive chat about everything. She broke and said she was really embarrassed about how she'd been sucked in. He made her feel good about herself when things were tricky at school, she now understands thats what predators do
She's blocked the user and all those associated with him

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