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Subject:
From:
Sharon Hooley <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Electronic Church <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 1 Jul 2006 14:05:40 -0600
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (154 lines)
Hi guys!

Even if this story isn't true, I say it's common sense that this really can 
happen.  Please read!

Sharon

Not only does this apply to our children and grandchildren, but to adults as
well. Please take the time to read it and pass it on.

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 safely." 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 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 eighth 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
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.
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 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!"

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 HAVE CHILDREN OR
GRANDCHILDREN 

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