>> >> >>>>> Hello everyone, >>>>> >>>>> A friend of mine sent me this and I thought it was good to pass this >on to >>>>> all of you especially to those of you who like to do Internet relay chat. >>>>> >>>>> 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 ran the rest of the way to her house. >>>>> >>>>> Once inside 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. There she could talk to strangers without being afraid. Afterall, >>>>> none knew who she really was and couldn't hurt her. >>>>> >>>>> She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213. Checking her Buddy List >>>>> she 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 cause >>>>> 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 >>>>> GoTo123 : What is your team called? >>>>> ByAngel213: We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. >>>>> They are really cute! >>>>> GoTo123 : Do you pitch or what? >>>>> 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 >>>>> >>>>> GoTo123 decided it was time to teach Angel a lesson. One she would never >>>>> forget. >>>>> >>>>> He 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. She had just told >>>>> him, He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 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. "She'll be so surprised," he thought, "she doesn't even know >what >>>>> she has done." >>>>> >>>>> 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 was 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 back of the shirt. He knew he had >>>>> found her. >>>>> >>>>> Quietly he walked a safe distance behind her. He didn't want to frighten >>>>> her and have to explain what he was doing to anyone. >>>>> >>>>> 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 is a policeman and he has just told us a most interesting story >>>>> about you." >>>>> >>>>> Shannon moved cautiously to a chair across from the man. 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 your on line 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 online. 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." >>>>> >>>>> "I won't," Shannon promised solemnly. >>>>> >>>>> "Will you tell others about this so they will be safe too?" >>>>> >>>>> "It's a promise!" >>>>> >>>>> That night Shannon and her dad and Mom thanked God for protecting Shannon >>>>> from what could have been a tragic situation. >>>>> >>>>> 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. >>>>> >>>>> Be safe. PASS THIS ON!.........informed others >> >> >>
Last Updated: Sunday, October 04, 1998