Are you or someone you know being trafficked? Is trafficking happening in your community? Is the situation you encountered human trafficking? The following is a list of potential red flags and indicators of human trafficking.

If you see any of these red flags, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-3737-888 now to report the situation. (Click here to learn more about reporting potential human trafficking situations.)

Common Work and Living Conditions
The Individual(s) in Question:

• Is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes
• Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts
• Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp / manager
• Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips
• Works excessively long and/or unusual hours
• Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work
• Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off
• Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
• High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.)

• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous / paranoid behavior
• Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up “law enforcement”
• Avoids eye contact

Poor Physical Health

• Lacks health care
• Appears malnourished
• Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture

Lack of Control

• Has few or no personal possessions
• Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account
• Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport)
• Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating)

Other

• Claims of “just visiting” and inability to clarify where he/she is staying / address
• Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in
• Loss of sense of time
• Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her story

Note: This list is not exhaustive and rather represents a selection of possible indicators. Also, the red flags in this list may not be present in all trafficking cases and are not cumulative.