Frequently Asked Questions

General

There was an AMBER Alert in my state. Why does it not show up on your site? (back to top)This is possibly because your state is not a member of the Amber Alert Web Portal (AAWP) Consortium. These states use our alerting technological platform to send alerts to the public, which then disperses to cell phones, emails, the website, etc. There is a missing child in my state why is it not on your site? (back to top)Amber Alert is for abducted children not missing children. In order for a missing child case to be considered an abduction it must meet this criteria set by the Department of Justice:

  1. Law enforcement confirms a child has been abducted
  2. Law enforcement believes the circumstances surrounding the abduction indicate that the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death
  3. There is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor and/or suspects vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
  4. The child 17 years old or younger

Age criteria vary from plan to plan. Most plans currently in effect consider activation for a child under the age of 18. All plans are limited to abducted children and, therefore, exclude children believed to be the subjects of parental abductions, runaways or children barred from the home by their parents.Also, AmberAlert.com does not issue the alert. We are the technology that police officers use to make the public aware of an abduction so they may help look for the child.The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, www.missingkids.org, specializes in missing children.What is the activation process? (back to top)Once law enforcement officials have been notified about an abducted child, they must first determine if the case meets their jurisdiction’s AMBER Plan criteria. If the criteria are met, alert information is entered into the Portal from a station house down or squad car, depending on a state’s procedures. The information is then reviewed and approved for distribution by an agency designated by state law enforcement.Once these procedures are complete, the data is distributed throughout the alert network. When any new information becomes available it can immediately be updated on the portal, including the suspension of an alert.What should citizens do if they see or hear of an AMBER Alert? (back to top)

  • If a person hasn’t already, sign up to receive AMBER Alerts from the state’s portal
  • Be observant – citizens are the additional eyes and ears law enforcement needs to help recover a kidnapped child
  • Take no action yourself
  • Call 911 immediately and update law enforcement if you have information

How often are broadcasts made? (back to top)While you can receive Alerts or updates from the AAWP whenever they are inputted, broadcasts vary according to the guidelines of the different plans throughout the country. Each incident is unique and the dynamics of a case can change rapidly.

Child ID Kit

Why should I get a Child ID Kit? (back to top)The AmberAlert.com Child ID kit is a proactive tool parents can use. Despite our best efforts as a parent, there’s a possibility your child gets lost, goes missing or is abducted, so you need to be prepared for that situation. When a parent is upset, getting information in a timely manner is hard, especially if it’s not all in one place. The Child ID Kit allows an upset parent to easily transfer information and pictures to a police officer who needs to start the process of finding the child and launching an Amber Alert.

How many children can I store on one Child ID Kit? (back to top)Information on up to five (5) children can be stored on Child ID kits released after June, 2008.

What do I do with the Child ID Kit once I have put in all the information? (back to top)You have two options: 1) The information for your child serves you best if it’s readily available, so keeping the Child ID kit with you at all times keeps the information handy in case of an emergency. If you feel you cannot safely carry the Child ID kit on a keychain or in a purse, it should be kept in a safe place at home that’s easily locatable.

How does law enforcement use the Child ID Kit? (back to top)When a police officer asks you for your child’s information, simply hand over the Child ID Kit and provide your password. The password prompt screen has a button called “Law Enforcement Instructions” which explains what the officer should do with the Child ID Kit. In the tools section there is instructions for law enforcement explaining how to use the export feature.

What is the vital information to put in? (back to top)The progress bar on at the bottom tells you how much information you have put in. We suggest that at least 85% of the information be up to date at all times. We also suggest that you make sure the “Profiles” section is completely filled in and up-to-date, this is the first information police need.

I am not a technology savvy person, how easy is the Child ID Kit to use? (back to top)You do not have to be tech savvy to use the AMBER Alert.com Child ID Kit. We purposefully designed it for ease of use.

How is the Child ID Kit different from other ID Kits? (back to top)There are four main differences between AmberAlert.com Child ID Kit and other identification products.1) It’s made by AmberAlert.com, the only multiple state alerting system in the nation,2) the information stored is updatable whenever a parent has new information or image3) it is portable unlike most other identification products that are on a CD or printed card, and4) you don’t have to buy it more then once.

How many pictures or images can I store on the Child ID Kit? (back to top)The AmberAlert.com Child ID kit has sufficient storage for more than 100 images.

How often do I update the information on my Child ID Kit? (back to top)Load new pictures or images, change features, and add/delete new people contacts (friends) every 3-6 months. As we have mentioned many times, up-to-date information is the best kind that you can provide law enforcement. So, when you get new birthday pictures or your come back from your family doctor try to add that new info and images in as soon as possible.

Where else is my child’s information stored? (back to top)Nowhere else but on your personal, password protected Child ID Kit is your child’s information stored. The information does not save or store on the computer you use. As soon as you hit the save button, information encrypts and save straight to the flash drive. Nothing is sent over the internet or saved in a database.

Is there another way get to the information other then the password? (back to top)There is no other way to access the information stored on the drive, unless you have a password (no back doors). If your Child ID Kit is lost, do not fear, the software cannot be transferred to another drive nor can it be transferred and saved onto a PC. You need the password to get to the information.

What happens if I loose or forget my password? (back to top)Because of the extreme security we have surrounding your child’s information stored on the Child ID Kit; there is no way to access the information without a password. If you have lost or forgotten it, the software will have to be reset. This will cause you to lose all your information. Please make sure that you remember your password and that you write it down and put it in a safe place, just in case.

I have forgotten my Password, how do I reset my Child ID Kit? (back to top)Please contact us and we will be give you the instructions to resetting your Single or Multiple Child ID Kit.

I don’t have the resources for fingerprinting, DNA sampling, or scanning, where can I go to get this done?Your local police department is usually more then happy to help you gain a DNA sample or fingerprint your child. Just scan it in an upload it onto the Child ID Kit like a picture.

Is there a Macintosh version? (back to top)We are in development for a Macintosh version due out Q4 2008.

Where can I buy a Child ID Kit? (back to top)You can buy the Child ID Kit from our Online Store.

What forms of payment can I use? (back to top)Our Online Store takes Mastercard, Visa, Discover or American Express.

How long does delivery take? (back to top)We ship your order within 48 hours of receiving it. It usually takes our carrier 5-7 days to deliver it.

Can I fund raise with the Child ID Kit? (back to top)Yes you can! Please visit our fund raising page to learn more about how you can raise funds and help protect families.

I would like to get a Child ID Kit for each of my employees, do you have a discounted bulk price? (back to top)Yes we do! Contact us and we can discuss how to bring your relationship to another level by preparing your employee’s with the Child ID Kit.

My organization would like to help your cause how do we do that? (back to top)Visit this link for fundraising information.

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