A teen boy has allegedly been sexually assaulted by a man he met on social media.

The man “lured the teenager to his home” in Cloverdale, about 15 minutes east of Perth, in early April, Western Australia Police said on Wednesday.

The victim was sent a ride-share vehicle which picked him up from his family home, police said.

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“When family realised the teenager was missing they contacted police,” police said.

A major investigation was launched with officers pulling in significant resources, including liaising with international counterparts to identify and locate the alleged offender.

The teen and the man were found a short distance away from the man’s home.

Police arrested a 30-year-old Cloverdale man and charged him with the sexual assault of the teenager.

He was taken into custody and will next appear before Perth Magistrates Court on July 31.

WA Police are warning parents about the dangers of online child sexual abuse.

“Online child sexual abuse can happen very quickly, even at home, without parents and carers knowing,” police said. “Young people often don’t understand the danger or that what happened to them amounts to a serious criminal offence.”