Collect Questions

I found this at another group and felt the need to share it with anyone with or without kids. I thought this story would be really important to share with your kids. It's also very good for teenagers! So please read and remember it's very easy to be tricked! I never realized how easy it was. Thanks to whoever posted this at the other group, I will now be more careful about what I say when chatting!Please be careful when you are chatting!!!
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Subject: Shannon
Shannon could hear the footsteps behind her as she walked toward
home. The thought of being followed made her heart beat
faster. "You're being silly," she told herself, "no one is
following you." To be safe, she began to walk faster, but the
footsteps kept up with her pace.
She was afraid to look back and she was glad she was almost home.
Shannon said a quick prayer, "God please get me home safe." She saw
the porch light burning and she leaned against the door for a
moment, relieved to be in the safety of her home. She glanced out
the window to see if anyone was there. The sidewalk was empty. After
tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and ~get
on-line.~
She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213.
She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an
instant message:
********************************************
ByAngel213: Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following
me home today. It was really weird!
GoTo123: LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following
you? Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?
ByAngel213: Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I
didn't see anybody when I looked out.
GoTo123: Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done
that have you?
ByAngel213: Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.
GoTo123: Did you have a softball game after school today?
ByAngel213: Yes and we won!!
GoTo123: That's great! Who did you play?
ByAngel213: We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so
gross! They look like bees. LOL
GoTo123: What is your team called?
ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our
uniforms. They are really cool.
GoTo123: Did you pitch?
ByAngel213: No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to
be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!
GoTo123: Catch you later. Bye
************************************************
Meanwhile...GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for
her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out.
He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel
so far:
Her name: Shannon Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985 Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina
Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall.
Besides this information, he knew she lived in Canton because she had
just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every
afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played
softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was
named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her
jersey. He knew she was in the seventh grade at the Canton Junior
High School.

She had told him all this in the conversations they had on-line.
He had enough information to find her now.
Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home
from the ball park that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and
stop her from walking home from the softball games.
Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her
wish she were not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and
sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.
By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following
her. Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone
staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up
from her second base position to see a man watching her closely. He
was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when
she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the
fear she had felt.
After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach.
She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded
and she smiled back.
He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found
her.
Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few
blocks to Shannon's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly
returned to the park to get his car. Now he had to wait.
He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to
Shannon's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there
until time to make his move.
Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in
the living room. "Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded
upset and she couldn't imagine why.
She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on
the sofa.
"Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most
interesting story about you."
Shannon sat back.
How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him
before today!
"Do you know who I am, Shannon?" the man asked.
"No," Shannon answered.
"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."
Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's
14 and he lives in Michigan!"
The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You
see, Shannon, there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was
one of them. But while others do it to find kids and hurt them, I
belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from
predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is
to give out too much information to people on-line. You told me
enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. Your name,
the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position
you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you
a breeze."
Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan?"
He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh. It made you feel safe to think I
was so far away, didn't it?"
She nodded.
"I had a friend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as
lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone.
Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do
it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out
information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you
have told them enough for them to find you without even realizing you
have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do
it again"
"Tell others about this so they will be safe too?"
"It's a promise!"
That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and
thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic
situation.
*****NOW*****
Please send this to as many people as you can to teach them not to
give any information about themselves. This world we live in today
is too dangerous to even give out your age, let alone anything else.
EVEN FORWARD THIS TO PEOPLE WITHOUT KIDS SO THEY CAN SEND IT TO
FRIENDS THAT DO.
I just wanted to pass this story around, you just never know kids can
be gullible and we as parents should protect them in every possible
way.
Remember it's not only children and teens that get fooled and preyed
upon!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Becareful Online...you never know who's on the other line of your converstion or your childrens'.


debber,,,,,,,,As i read this my heart was pounding faster and faster,,,,just an idea but wouldn't it be a good idea to post a thread in the teen site......This could save a teens life!!!!!!!arl


Yes great idea I will do that!


HELLO KimberlyJoy!
Now you could think about how worried I am about you.:(


it does happen to grownups ALL THE TIME
i had a employee that worked for me for 7 years and one day he was on the phone crying and i brought him into my office and started talking to him welllllllllll he fell in love in 2 weeks chatting (rolling my eyes) i said well take the rest of the day off go get things straight and well talk tomorrow .welll he went home told his small kids goodbuy(grrrrrrrrrr ) and his parents came in quit his job and took off for north carolina with all his earthy belongs (except his precious children) gets there susposable to move in with a RN (ha) . so he gets there but for some strange reason she takes him to her sisters house . were he sits on a couch and up drive a man gets out his car with a hand gun . just so happens he is the husband of the so called single rn. she had just told him lie after lie. after talking his way out of being killed by the jellous hubby he gets in his car and comes back home.
could have been worse but to me that was bad enough.


mama (and everyone else)

[SIZE=3]Fine- i admit- im guilty! but trust me- i am a member of a lot of other message boards and chat rooms (including faceparty- the biggest party/ chat on the web) and i would never give out any information in any of those other websites... i trust the npf and most of the ppl on here- but hey, like ive said to my fam plenty of times... if giving out info and having a friendship w/ ppl online ends up getting me killed- it was good while it lasted![/SIZE]
(my personal opinion)
KJ


One of the MDs who shares an office suite with one of my docs got nabbed in an Internet sting when he showed up to meet a 13 year old girl at a motel, but instead met a 40 year old police officer. 'Luckily' for him, this happened about a week after 9-11, and while it did make the newspapers, it was just a small write-up in the back of the metro sections. If it had happened any other time on a slow news day, he might've made the first page of some of the tabloids. In a way, it was also lucky for my doctor since you never know how such publicity can spill over. What really angered him though was that the guy was using their office internet connection to do his chatting. He pleaded to a misdemeanor charge and that was it.
Interestingly, my doc said that the fellow's wife looked extremely
prepubescent.


The worst part is he got a slap on the wrist so he will be at it again! You just do not know who you are talking to! I have been in my share of chat rooms and its awful really what goes on!
This is not slandering Kim in anyway but our kids do not realise, all these thing's !!
The internet is wonderful, but so misused by perverts and freaks!
I am in my 40s and I never dreamed I would ever see thing's like this go on! And my grandparents would be even more shocked!
Kim you really should pass on what I posted to your friends!


Ahem,
First, I want to sincerely thank Deb for this post.
Second, I want to fully agree with Mama.
Third, my dear Kimberlyjoy, while it might sound brave to you to say that on-line friendships are worth the risk to yourself of being assaulted or even murdered, it is certainly not very Christian. The Bible teaches us to honor our bodies as the temple of God. How does putting it at such risk honor God?
Last, this is what we have adults and parents around for.;)


Deb: Thank you VERY much for posting this.
JRS, Mama and PJ: I agree with all of you. 100%.
KJ: You may not think so, but a lot of people care about you. Please be careful. Promise me that you'll never and I mean NEVER give your personal info to anyone that you meet on line -- even someone you meet on this site. You may think that you are a good judge of character, but you may wind up being dead wrong. Forget about you family for a moment, because even if you manage to land on your feet, the emotional and physical scars will last for the rest of your life.
Mike


Alright here goes my .02....
Speaking as someone, closer to younger crowds age,(this is NO offense whatsoever to people who have posted priceless advice here) I agree completely, with Debber, Zara, Jrs, Pj, MikeK, and Mama and everyone else who did not post but shares the same sentiments.
Youth, please remember NPF and about every organization, website what-have-you, work on BLIND FAITH !!! They have never met most of us, and could only give you information provided by the PERSON WHO GAVE IT TO THEM.
Now, this is not to say everyone is bad at all, just to say you never know WHO you are talking to.
Obvioulsy, predators are very smart and plot very well, especially against the youth, as we see from above stories. 8 years ago I may have had that very blind faith that some youth have, but as I have grown, I realized that while the internet has opened a lot of great doors....it has opened some very bad ones as well. BECAREFUL need it in a different language? CUIDATE spanish, FAIT ATTENTION french, FARE ATTENZIONE italian....Cannot say it enough,
BE CAREFUL!!
Take care and smile
Bella


I must say to each and everyone one of you,,,everything you have said is soooooooooooooo true and it couldn't have been said better!!!!!!!Kids today think they know who they can trust they fall so prey to all those nuts out there,,,hopefully this will help make a kid think,,,,,,,deb did you post this in the teen site.
But i must give my opinion as usual,,,i still feel that's why there is a teen site,,,not that you can trust it completely,,,no one could ever trust anything completely,,,but as an adult with years of experience,,,just when you read what someone says,,,you can see right through it!!!!!!!Correct me if i'm wrong!!!!
arl


1 Attachment(s) KJ, I agree with Mike and the rest of them; as your adopted Granny, please,,,
listen to the good advise given. We can't all be wrong.....
{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}


i see you all have very strong opinions and you care about me very much- trust me ... i am careful... but i would like you to know that if i would've not given out my information to a girl at one point (3 years ago) I would not have the best friend that i have now... and we are as close (if not closer) then sisters... all becuz i gave her my phone #... anyways, ill take your advice, at least SOME of it... and trust me- ill be careful


I agree with jrs

Happens to adults all the time. Its a crazy world these forums.
I would say to no one - children and adults alike to *Meet* a person who is chatting online.
I would say never, but thats unreasonable for an adult as i personally know a few relationships that have developed this way.
But never a child. No matter what.
PJ is quite correct though... i have a nephew who loves the net and message boards (cartoons) he is 10 - and it UNSPEAKABLE and UNHEARD that we would let him to his own devices on the machine.
I can spend up to 30 minutes to an hour looking over the history -his posts - his e-mails everything
and believe me - if he came and said he was off into town - regardless of meeting someone - the answer is NO WAY IN THIS LIFETIME.
An adult would go with him - OR he just doesnt go.
Parents/Guardians should be more cautious...
Children are innocent and they need to be protected. Not just on forums everywhere.
My nephew never leaves thec omputer room without myself or another family member checking his activity on the boards. He is checked numerous times and god forbid we hear a click of a mouse changing screens as we are entering (well it never happens because we have said he would lose the net if this happens - an he does love it bless)
No one even adults - can be too careful.
Only the other day I read a story - similar to JRS - about a guy - gave up everything - house - wife - children everything - for an online love who did not return these feelings at all.
In fact it was all lies...


Kim I posted this for all of us to see not just you! Please do not feel singled out ...But since you are the youngest here we do worry about you..And I know you feel like we lecture you at times and we do not mean it to be a lecture...But before, and until time ends, it will always be adults who take care of and look after the younger ones...
Just like the original post said you don't know for sure who you are talking to...None of us do...
If anyone gets an email from me from my hotmail address, you will see I never use my real name...That is for my safety....If someone has my real name, its very easy to find me, and find exactly where I live....I am sure you know this...
Above all we are all friends here and friends look out for each other!!!


Deb,
i dont feel singled out- i just feel like im being picked on a bit by ppl mentioning my name... but its okay- i understand that y'all are looking out for me!
KJ


Hi KJ,
You should be feeling a lot of love coming to you. You are a treasure.:cool:
Instead of feeling attacked, please feel the love and caring coming through the lines. Please also respect from whence it comes.


Dear KJ,
I am the only one who truly knows what is in my heart and my dear KJ let me share one thing that's there. I am truly worried that you might make an innocent slip on a board, not realize it and wind up being hurt because of it.
I am not picking on you. I am worried about your safety. Now, you can tell me not to worry and that you know what you are doing. It won't make any difference. You see, Mom's are just that way and we nuture all God's children. It doesn't matter if you are my child or not. We just feel the need to protect the young.:)
I sincerely hope that you understand and appreciate my concern for you!:) And I'm not the only one here who worries about you. We wouldn't worry, if we didn't care!:) :) :)


KJ...Everyone is right on!
Did you know that we already know...
1.) Where you live.
2.) Your first name, which is unusual.
3.) Your favorite mall.
4.) Your age.
5.) Your favorite sport.
6.) AND we know what you look like and your cutie boyfriend...
Now! that is a lot of information you have given us...Too much!
(and probably more that I have forgotten about)
Listen to the people that love you...We all care and are not picking on you...We can't help but worry, it is our nature...Be glad that we do...
Molly


Okay okay- messages for everyone:
Molly: Out of those things that you listed, there is only two that could affect you finding me ... and that is my unusual name is prob. the only one where i live... which is the only way you could find me... becuz you dont know my last name (maybe one or two of you do) ... the whole mall, sports, age thingy... i dont see how that could help you... especially becuz you dont know the name of my soccer team!!! anyways, i understand your concern, maybe i shared too much info, but hey- its done, its over, no going back, its not like i can erase it from your mind!plus- i would like to assure you that i would never give out information like my name in any other chat room- im a member of 4 chat rooms (incl. this one) and i have never told anyone in the other chatrooms anything about myself, we just chat!
Mama: I understand your concern, and i would like to really thank you for being worried about me in your heart... i definately understand where you are comin from... and your motherly love is appreciated... and im not gonna tell you not to worry... cuz only you can control your feelings... but i will tell you that i am careful (as much as you dont believe me- its true!)
PJ: i totally understand where it coming from- and i totally appreciate it...and yes- as always- i respect your opinions... just becuz i dont necessarily agree with all of them- doesnt mean i dont accept/respect them
Deb: I understand that this post was meant for everyone, seemed like it turned into a pick-on-KJ thread :D lol... but its all good- ur just tryin to help!thx for looking out for me!
Paw: Ummm- i guess i understand where you're coming from on that whole 'not meeting each other' thing... but- i think it could go both ways... becuz- i met a girl on line- and i found out that she lived only about 2 blocks away from me... then i asked parents' permission- gave out a bit of info to her... and eventually- her and her mom met me and my mom at a place in a mall once... and i would just like to tell you- that this girl- Justine is now my bestest friend in the whole world! we share so much together, we're the best of friends... (for 3 years now) and this would've never happened if it hadnt been for givin out info...
Helen: of course you're not wrong- but that doesnt mean that im wrong!
ARL: sorry- dont really have anything to say to what you said
Bella: what you said is completely true- but- being careful
doesnt necessarily mean giving out no info!!
Mike: i dont really have much to say to you- as you seem very set on your opinion- and i think its obvious what my opinion is
okay okay... sorry if i missed any of you... there is just one thing i would like to say.... why is everyone saying stuff about me regarding this issue? not trying to be rude here- but maybe its time to take a look at yourselves... y'all tell ppl your first names, and where you live... and lots of you make plans on the chat or on the message boards to meet up with each other.. so why are you not taking a closer look at this for yourself? im sorry- im just a little frustrated becuz it seems that you do not realize how much you do this yourselves. Im serious- name me one of my closer friends on this board- and i could tell ya tonnes of stuff about them!


okay okay okay, i was just reading my last post- and now that i read it - i think i sounded a bit rude- now im not going to edit the post... but... i would like to say sorry if anyone was offended by it- i was just trying to make a point!
KJ


KJ,
You are probably being "picked on" because you are the child of the group...and the thread topic had to do with children.
I feel bad for you because suddenly it DOES seem like everyone is coming down on you and you are not doing anything wrong. It's not that way though, i think people are just agreeing with each other that you should be careful about what Deb brought up, doesn't mean you are guilty of it.
I don't want to open this whole issue of responsibility....but for as much as we care about you (and I do, i think you are a charming gal) --- we cannot control you or your circumstances. You have parents and/or guardians that should be monitoring your life, not us. All we can do is be responsible adults as we encounter you in this medium known as the internet.
Personally, i do think you are a little young to be hanging out online...but that's just my humble opinion....i'm pretty sure that just stems from me not having been allowed to do that when I was your age, i'm probably just jealous.
And as for meeting people "online"....I have my reservations....but I also have my gratefulness for this medium because it's given me MANY friends and a GLORIOUS husband!!!
:D


Originally posted by debber_1
I found this at another group and felt the need to share it with anyone with or without kids. Done........
I submitted a thread here in AUS on one of the biggest forums here.
S