The FBI has issued a warning to parents about the dangers of hi-tech toys that can connect to the internet and contain technology such as microphones and cameras.
The US security agency said criminals could use the technology in smart toys to gather sensitive information about children, such as their location, name and what they look like.
It sent out an alert for parents that said connected toys could put children "at risk" of being targeted by criminals for identity theft or exploitation.
"[Smart] toys typically contain sensors, microphones, cameras, data storage components and other multimedia capabilities - including speech recognition and GPS options," said the FBI.
These features could put the privacy and safety of children at risk due to the large amount of personal information that may be disclosed."
Toys can gather personal information such as a child's name, school, hobbies and likes and dislikes, which could be used for criminal purposes, it added.
The concerns are not unfounded. Cyber criminals hacked VTech in 2015 and accessed the details of more than 6.4 million children from 15 countries.