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From the Managers of  M¥§T̀ã~~GÃRÐËѧ
 
This page is for stories or information that could possibly save your childs life... or maybe even yours..... If you have additional information please share it with us and we will add it to this page ..... Thank you and please be safe ....
 
 
Subject: SHANNON'S COMPUTER LESSON
 
 
(Something to make you think when you, your kids or your friends' kids are online! Definitely something that should be read and passed on for education purposes for your family and friends. )
 
 
Shannon could hear 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.
Shannon logged on under her screen name, ByAngel213. She checked her
Buddy List and saw that 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 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! Whom 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 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 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.
 
Shannon didn't tell her parents about it. 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, 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?"
The policeman 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 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"
Will you tell others about this so they will be safe too?"
"It's a promise!"
That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.
 
NOW Please send this to as many people as you can
EVEN FORWARD THIS TO
PEOPLE WITHOUT KIDS SO THEY CAN
SEND IT TO FRIENDS WHO DO.
 
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