on-line stalking

just watched the dateline "dangerous internet" episode and i thought of the fine group of young folks we have posting on this site.
i'm sure you are all intelligent young adults, but please, PLEASE don't ever give your address to an on-line stranger or agree to meet them anywhere.
the show i just watched profiled a decoy 14 year old girl who gave her address while chatting on-line. over the next two days 18 men showed up at her house. these men had come with the intent of sex. most of them were "everyday citizens".
be safe and play smart on-line

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I am unsure if this made national news, but if you live in CT, you might know about it - it's old news.

A girl named Christina Long was killed about a year or two ago. She had been chatting with a guy online, then went to meet in person to have sex. As they were, he "accidently" (sure...) killed her.

Everytime I chat with someone online, I am hesitant to give out any bit of information about me, even if it is someone who you can kind of tell is not lying. Sometimes I give out my name and age, and maybe the state I live, but rarely anything else. Especially my last name - not common enough, like Smith.

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You really shouldn't be giving out any information that could lead you to harm. The only times I have met folks from on line was in a large group setting.

oops had to maake an edit... sorry if I cofused anyone.. not enough coffee yet!

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Updated On: 10/4/04 at 06:33 AM

There have been a couple of posters here who have made me suspicious of their motives. They presented themselves as adults but started threads aimed at enticing the younger members. I don't think anyplace on the internet should be considered safe.

I only let my son on the internet for thirty minutes at a time and do a search history after he's been on it. I've told him more than once not to e-mail anyone unless he and I both know them personally. Some people, especially younger ones, are too trusting.

Well, I have met several people from this board and each time it's been great. If you do decide to meet someone, just use common sense and agree to meet up in a public place.

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You should also take into consideration how much information you gave when you signed up for the particualr forum.

This forum, for example, does not require a "click the link in the email we just sent you to verify your email address" thing to sign up for the forum, so you really have NO idea who you're talking to. Sure they can always trace the IP address, but even that's not 100 useable.

Oh, Matt!

hehehehehe

Oh my god CJR that is really scary.

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Why stalk online when there are still perfectly good malls all over the great U.S. of A.?

I have a stalker...a real life stalker. He goes to my school and is really creepy--he knows everything there is to possibly know about me. I can't turn him in or nething b/c he's only done one physical thing to me (and when I did turn him in they said they couldn't do anything) and hasn't harassed me in any way, just knows everything about me. *creepy*.

As for talking to people online, there are about 4 people that I talk to over the Internet that know some sort of personal information about me, and I have never met me. I've been talking to them for about a year now. We've exchanged pics, and tell each other about our days at school, and mostly talk about theatre! I have talked on the phone w/ one of them, she is 13 yrs old and lives in NJ. We started out writing each other. I wrote to her first, n' then she sent me back a CD or something like that. No worries, I asked my mom b4 giving out my address. And the other girl I talk to stays completel anonymous. Her parents don't let her give out any info...she can't even tell me what level of spanish she's in b/c I might be able to figure out what grade she's in.

However, I have been tricked by one person on the internet. My friend--of whom I've never met. He thought it'd be fun to tell me he's some famous person. Eh, I knew in the back of my head that it wasn't right, and that it wasn't true, but I went along w/ it, knowing that it was either my friend, or one of his friends. I always play it safe. I also figure, if someone really wants to find me they can use anywho.com (a very scary website, b/c u can get A LOT of info from there!!) If someone really wanted to stalk me they would find other ways of doing it w/out me telling them directly where I live.

While I am careful on the Internet I feel that I have an ok judgement of character to know if someone is BSing me or if they are actually cool to talk to...and if someone seems shady I just stop talking to them.

I am 15...but those of you who are thinking "OMG!! She talks on the phone w/ someone she hasn't ever met, omg...she's gonna get killed!!" plz don't feel that way. I am very cautious about the things I tell people.

But I do agree...be careful!! If someone seems shady just DONT TALK TO THEM!! And DONT give your address out unless you KNOW you can trust the person. And if all else fails, and someone asks you where you live, just give them a BS address, n' phone number n' all that good stuff. Most people who stalk u are just looking for a way to get all hot and bothered...most of the tiem I think you can tell if some guy says 'wanna cyber' outta knowwhere that he'd prob. not be someone good to talk to.

Common sense...

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my point wasn't to imply that everyone in a chat room is a threat. 99% of the time the folks you meet on-line are normal folks. however, i do want to remind you that there are people out there lurking in cyber space who know what they are doing... and they can outsmart you. seriously, if you feel you have to meet the person you've been talking to, have the good sense to do it in a public setting and bring some friends.

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Just have the Iguana answer the phone darling.

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Don't sa that. rine will jump in he car and drive to Long Isand in a second with a new one.

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