**Tina**
Nov 04, 2005, 11:02 PM
hey guyz jus thought i shud post dis i got this in a fw message i dun like forwarding so i thought id post it here where more pplz wud read this:D
> >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:
> >
> >By Angel213:
> >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 neighbourhood?
> >
> >
> >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 rea!
> >lly
> >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 ! favourite
> >number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eight 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 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
> >look!
> >ed 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 talk 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 pl! ayed. 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!"
> >
> >
> >*****NOW*****
> >
> >Please send this to as many people as you can to teach them not to give any
> >informatio! n 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
> >HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN.....
> >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:
> >
> >By Angel213:
> >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 neighbourhood?
> >
> >
> >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 rea!
> >lly
> >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 ! favourite
> >number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eight 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 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
> >look!
> >ed 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 talk 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 pl! ayed. 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!"
> >
> >
> >*****NOW*****
> >
> >Please send this to as many people as you can to teach them not to give any
> >informatio! n 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
> >HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN.....