The following is a message I recieved via another list that I am on, but
hits a subject close to home none the less. Whether this is true or not...
it is something that we all should take into concideration, for our mutual
safety.
Anyone who "chats" regularly can tell you there are a lot of people that are
out to scare you.
I for one, have met my share of them. And have had my own little scare with
a guy that virtually stalked me.
It didn't get to the point of him coming to my home town, but it seemed that
any time I went online to chat... there he was. I finally ended up changing
my screen name and going to a different chat room for a while.
As most of you know, I am a very friendly person, and like to help people
when I can. During my "chat" days, I would spend endless hours online
tutoring people on how to use their computers and specifically a chat
program that I always used.
My caring and helping manner finally got me into a spot that scared me.
The guy that I was talking to told me that he was paralized from the neck
down, and continued to tell me what his interests were and how he kept his
spirits up... the whole sob story. (Yes I know... I don't sound like my
normal caring self telling this.) After chatting with this guy for over an
hour, he finally came to the point and told me what he wanted from me. He
wanted me to talk sex with him... nope, not me, you've chosen the wrong lady
here. I'm happily married and I view that as cheating on my husband and I
won't do it! Yes, I got very upset with him... when he kept talking about
it, I finally disconnected from the net for a couple of hours. When I went
back online a few hours later to talk to some friends of mine... he was
still there... was the only one there... so I didn't enter the room, instead
I chose a different chat channel to join to talk to other friends.
What happened next shocked me... he sent me a dcc (dedicated chat, which is
very similar to a whisper) I couldn't beleive that he knew I was online. He
said Hi to me, then proceeded to ask me why I left chat earlier. I just
answered that I didn't want to talk to him any more. (I shouldn't have even
responded to him!)
This type of harrassment continued for over a week, and finally ended with
me changing my screen name and talking to administrators from the chat
server. I was lucky, but there are many who are not.
Please keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
My love and safe thoughts to you all.
Barb.
---
(forwarded message)
TRY AND REMEMBER TO DELETE THE NAMES ON E-MAILS THAT YOU FORWARD. IT MIGHT
DO US ALL WELL TO DO THE SAME.

I just got some important information from a friend concerning forwarding
messages to other group lists, which I find very interesting, especially
because I have personally received phone calls from people I don't even know
who got my personal information through messages that were forwarded to them
from people that I sent it to. The following story is not a joke, it is
very true. Please read. The following individual asked not to be
identified, but she asked that this letter be forwarded to anyone who does
not Bcc (blind carbon copy) online...and to spread the word.

Late one evening, while online, I received an IM Internet message)from a
gentleman who said he knew me through mutual pals online. We chatted for an
hour or so before deciding to keep in touch, as we had so many things in
common. I eventually, after a week or so of knowing him,trusted him with my
name (first name) and phone number; after all, he knew my friends and I
felt he must have been ok if they all liked and knew him. He knew a lot
about them, he knew a lot about me, and he knew a lot about a lot! He
seemed like such a nice person, a pleasant person, and someone whom I felt
very comfortable sharing my time online (and on the phone)
with.

One night, a friend from our group of friends invited me to a chat room
where several of the friends had gathered and were chatting when this
gentleman popped into the chat room. He popped in and then left quickly.
Then, for the first time since I met and started chatting with him, I
mentioned him to one of the friends who were in the chat room one whom this
gentleman claimed association with. She was in total awe, she did not know
who he was! Things were beginning to look really suspicious.The more she
and I chatted, the more suspicious it became. It also became apparent that
this guy knew none of us. Suddenly, he disappeared off-line for a few
days...then one day he pops back in and sends me an IM saying that we need
to talk. He called me at my
home and I was very upset, so I asked him how he really found me and why he
had felt the need to lie in the first place. This is where you all need to
pay attention: He told me that he spotted my screen name on a forward that
one of my friends sent to someone else. My screen name is what attracted
him. He then used the screen name of others on the list of forwards to
acquaint himself with me and various others from our clique of friends. He
also used the member directory (at AOL) to look up info about others on the
list of forwards, so not to look suspicious. He said he felt it was the only
way he would have the chance to get to know me, and the main attraction to
me was "My Screen name "because he thought it was "sexy!" I was upset,
needless to say, as I had trusted this man with my personal info... such as
phone number and name. He also knew where I
lived (thanks to the phone bill) and I was now his prey! A few days after
having last talked to this person and thinking that was the last of him, I
received a phone call at 4 am, it has this man telling me he was in town to
see a friend who lived 20 minutes from my house, and wanted
to know if I would like to meet him for coffee or breakfast. When I told
him it was not such a good idea, he became irate and hung up on me. I
immediately called him back (caller ID) and explained to him that my husband
was back home (trying to scare him) and to please not be so mad (in fear of
him and what he might do). Telling him that my husband had returned and we
were reconciling was a lie, I told him this to make him think I was not
alone! Imagine the feeling I felt in the pit of my stomach when he came back
with the following response: You're a lying bitch,your husband is not there
with you...you are alone!" I hung up on him and immediately called the
Broward County Sheriff's office and told them what had happened. They sent
an officer over to take a report and said that was really all they could do
for me at that time. So, I packed a few belongings into my car, and drove
to my sister's home for the night.
Fifteen or twenty minutes after I arrived at her home, I received a phone
call from this man again! He knew I called the Sheriff and reported him, he
knew where I was and he knew my sister and her husband's names! People, let
me tell you something, this man had been stalking me for weeks and I had no
idea! I walked, ate, slept and breathed in constant fear until he was
finally arrested for stalking! Not for stalking me! Nope! For stalking
another lady who lived in Kendall, FL. Friends, when you forward things and
you leave your friends' names out in plain view like that, you are putting
THEM and YOURSELF in what could be grave danger. I hope I have gotten this
message across; as I have not even begun to mention his assault (rape, using
deadly force) charges the detectives from Broward County and Kendall, FL
uncovered on him while investigating his prior history! People, please! Be
safe, be careful and BLIND COPY (BCC)!

PLEASE REMEMBER: It is important to remove ALL personal email information
when forwarding items from this, or any other list to individuals or other
discussion groups (unless the message asks readers to contact them via email
or phone). Remember, a lot of us have a great deal of information in our
sig's (signature files)that appear at the bottom of many of our messages).
In addition, the blind carbon copy (Bcc) option makes the individuals you
send email to unseen by all other recipients.
E-mailers should also cut out email addresses from forwards when forwarding
the message on. I know I have received unsolicited e-mails from individuals
who have gotten my address via a forwarded message from this group. Although
more annoying than serious, it could have been worse. Please take heed and
use email responsibly.

--
Please stay safe my friends.