Author Topic: The dangers of being too trusting online  (Read 20376 times)

*CountessA*

  • Administrator
  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 35154
The dangers of being too trusting online
« on: October 19, 2009, 03:47:46 PM »
Please... I cannot stress this enough.

Online personas are very often not real personas. People can be extremely adept at giving the impression of honesty and trustworthiness online, while actually being very misleading, and having motives that are not as represented.

The trial of the two alleged killers of 15-year-old Carly Ryan is currently underway. It shows how outrageously people can prey upon each other, creating an attractive persona which is not a real person, but a construct often used by more than one person.

Quote
An "emo" teenager met her killers on a vampire website, a court has been told.

The body of Carly Ryan, 15, was found by an early morning swimmer at Horseshoe Bay in South Australia in February 2007.

A father and son from Victoria pleaded not guilty to murdering the Adelaide teenager in the SA Supreme Court on Monday.

But the father, whose name is suppressed, said he pleaded "guilty to manslaughter" when being arraigned on the opening day of a murder trial expected to last two months.

Prosecutor Tim Preston said the Crown did not accept the man's manslaughter plea, before outlining the case against the 50-year-old father and his 18-year-old son, whose identity is also suppressed.

Mr Preston told the court Carly was ensconced in the "emo" culture, in which people wear predominantly black clothing, heavy eye shadow and bright lipstick.

Carly met her killers through a gothic website called vampirefreaks.com, Mr Preston said.

The father had concocted a "cyberspace alter ego" called Shane, who purported to be the father of an adopted teenager called Brandon, he said.

Internet contact was made between the father, son and Carly and "that dialogue continued right up until her death", Mr Preston said.

"Carly Ryan professed to love Brandon ... and she believed he loved her," Mr Preston told the court.

"But Brandon was fictitious, an internet construct, the cyberspace alter ego of the father, the son or both of them."

Carly believed the father was going to buy a property in Adelaide for her and Brandon to live in, he said.

In January 2007, the father visited Carly in Adelaide and bought her hundreds of dollars worth of clothing including a corset and lingerie, Mr Preston said.

He alleged the father had a sexual interest in Carly, saying a witness heard the man tell her: "I love you, I would never let anything happen to you, you are beautiful."

Carly told her mother the man had "touched her in a sexual way" before he returned to Victoria.

Mr Preston said another son of the man would tell the court his father told him he "wanted to go back to Adelaide and fix Carly up".

He said weeks later, the father and his co-accused son returned to Adelaide and they were seen with Carly at Victor Harbor, south of Adelaide, on February 19, 2007.

The next day, Carly's body was found floating in shallow waters at nearby Horseshoe Bay.

The trial is continuing.
"No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is ...a part of the maine; ...any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde"

misha

  • Membermn
  • Knight of the RT
  • *
  • Posts: 891
  • NO CONFIDENCE
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2009, 04:21:27 PM »
Nasty stuff.

Rest assured folks... I'm for real and wysiwyg... and have means of defence not limited to a good working relationship with the local Police.
pobox486cronulla@hotmail.com    I have NO HERO'S or IDOLS.  I will question everything and anyone having faith only in myself.

gr8-expectations

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2009, 05:04:59 PM »
are you trying to tell us youre a serial killer countess?? if so just come right out and say ut

gr8-expectations

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2009, 05:05:48 PM »
Nasty stuff.

Rest assured folks... I'm for real and wysiwyg... and have means of defence not limited to a good working relationship with the local Police.


yeah right m8..... prime suspect mishy lol, countess runner rup

misha

  • Membermn
  • Knight of the RT
  • *
  • Posts: 891
  • NO CONFIDENCE
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2009, 05:41:45 PM »
not limited to

These are the key words actually.

Just realise that there are more than three levels of authority in society..  Executive - Enforcement - Judiciary. 

There are those that work outside of that.
 


pobox486cronulla@hotmail.com    I have NO HERO'S or IDOLS.  I will question everything and anyone having faith only in myself.

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2009, 06:27:51 PM »
I have "met" many intelligent women who have fallen prey to conmen on the internet.  I must get 5 - 10 conmen contact me via myspace everyday and usually several women too that have been conned.  There was one in particular that was very good - he even had me going for a couple of months, until he asked me for a loan.  I wrote a blog about him and then found out that he had done the same to over 50 Australian women.  I then joined a conmen website and it seems he was one of the best. 

The internet is full of people who want to take advantage of others,  we just need to be vigilant and make sure that we protect and educate our kids.  The government put out guidleines on keeping our kids safe online.  One of them was to make sure the computer was in an area where we can see what is going on.  I also joined every site my son joined (hence myspace) and monitored what he was doing.  It was not that I did not trust him, I did not trust others.

I feel so sorry for the family of Carly.


Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2009, 06:47:10 PM »
I have "met" many intelligent women who have fallen prey to conmen on the internet.  I must get 5 - 10 conmen contact me via myspace everyday and usually several women too that have been conned.

Wow is it really that bad?

I watch judge Judy and it never fails to surprise me to see people both male and female get suckered in on a string of loans.

They pan out almost like its been written as a script

 

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2009, 07:06:51 PM »
Yes it really is that bad.  One day I got several emails all from "different people" but using the same photo.  They use the online photos from modeling agencies.  They also have several sob stories all along the same lines, mainly that their wife died in a car crash, leaving them a single parent, or the other which is still used is that their father has tons of money in a Bank in Africa, and has since died, but because the Armies are after them, they cannot collect the money, and need us to do it for them.

Of course, most of the time it is so obvious that they are not real, if you read their emails.  Most say they are from the States, but their english is poor.  Most also comment on how beautiful you are (which in my case is true lol) and how god told them that you are the one for them.  They all use the line - I am looking for a god fearing woman.  Which is funny cause on my profile I am listed as an Atheist.

They also will ask you to have a webcam convo with you, but they never have their webcam on.

It breaks my heart to read the stories from some of these women, and again, they are not stupid women, just too trusting.

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #8 on: October 19, 2009, 07:49:42 PM »
Yes it really is that bad.  One day I got several emails all from "different people" but using the same photo.

what sort of info do you have up on FB to make them target you?

 


*r3830*

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 3379
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #9 on: October 19, 2009, 08:10:00 PM »
I use Skype quite a bit. I receive a number of incoming messages from supposedly single women looking for companionship. These occur even with skype set on an 'offline' status. Block....Block....Block

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2009, 08:10:37 PM »
I think I get targetted because I list my status as single, which is true.  It could also be because of my age (41) we are seen as being desperate for a man. Though I list my reasons for being there are to make friends - not to date.  I dont list my income or anything else that I deem is none of anyones business.

I do have a really nice photo too - which is actually me.

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2009, 08:19:17 PM »
I have just seen the story on the news about the murder.  I have to ask what were the parents thinking - they found the couple in bed together in bed a couple of weeks before the murder, she was only 15, and she told them she had been sexually assaulted.

I am sure the parents are asking themselves the same question though, and blaming themselves too.

What a tragedy

*CountessA*

  • Administrator
  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 35154
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2009, 08:21:06 PM »
I have experienced real-life stalkers, which has been part of the reason I am cautious online. I've also been harassed (which is different - the rl stalking was admiring but scary, the harassment was just annoying and worrying).

Carly's story was incredibly sad, because she was clearly in a milieu which showed she was looking for attention. Something went very, very wrong... but we can't expect teenagers to exercise the judgement of an adult. Their cognitive abilities have yet to develop fully. "Acting like a teenager" isn't so strange when one actually IS a teenager.

And NO, Gr8! I'm not a serial killer! I'm sweet and harmless  :innocent:, in spite of the fact that I am trained in mediaeval sword-fighting. *flutters lashes in aimless and innocent way*
"No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is ...a part of the maine; ...any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde"

*CountessA*

  • Administrator
  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 35154
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2009, 08:23:08 PM »


We've got to be so careful with the internet opening up our lives in an unprecedented fashion. That's one reason why I have never had and never will have a Facebook account, nor a Twitter account. All of us are vulnerable to some degree, and we've all got to learn to be lion-tamers...
"No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is ...a part of the maine; ...any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde"

*r3830*

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 3379
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2009, 08:36:35 PM »
There have been so many changes over the years.... particularly where teenagers are concerned. These kids have high expectations, probably heavilly influenced by such things as television. They see boyfriend / girlfriend relationships as an expected norm - and their self esteem can be chronically shattered where they feel that they don't conform with that norm - and of course, their peer groups remind them of their 'failings' as people. It's very sad to hear a young girl - or boy - speak of how their is no partner for them..... when they are only twelve or thirteen years of age. Someone comes along, shares the right words, creates the right persona and presto.... they're in love! It's common - and awfully dangerous.

My generation saw girls as targets for criticism, until the mystical age of seventeen kicked in. But then - Daniel Boone didn't compare with Home and Away at that time either!

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #15 on: October 19, 2009, 08:59:38 PM »
So true Countess. 

I see some of the photos some young girls use on myspace, very suggestable and some could be seen as soft porn.  It frightens me that they dont see the harm in it.  One of the worst I saw was of my god daughter, I contacted her and told her to remove it and that I would have to talk to her dad about it.  Some of the info she shared was shocking too - she had her email address, school she attended and even her mobile phone number.  Now she is a sensible girl normally, she removed all the photos that were questionable and has made her settings private and removed her email and phone number.


*r3830*

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 3379
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2009, 09:03:53 PM »
mandurah...... what's this "seen as desperate at 41" statement? Who told you that??? Nothing wrong or old for that matter with being 41. I remember it well..... sorta... ;D

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #17 on: October 19, 2009, 09:17:54 PM »
Hey, I agree with you, I know I am not desperate for a man, in fact the opposite.  But it seems that there are some that think that if we are not married by 30, then we are desperate and will settle for less.  I know i am constantly being asked if I have found a man yet - as if I need one. 

I, however, love being single, I have never been married, but that does not mean I have not been asked.  I just like my life the way it is.

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #18 on: October 19, 2009, 11:29:20 PM »

And NO, Gr8! I'm not a serial killer! I'm sweet and harmless, in spite of the fact that I am trained in mediaeval sword-fighting.....


 :chair:  :run:
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2009, 12:18:02 PM »
mandurahmum at the risk of apearing to be a stalker I would like to have a look at your FB page, I couldnt find it under your posting ID but that maybe because I am not that famililar with how the search works.

Feel free to PM me if you dont want it widely known, I wont be offended if you choose not too 

misha

  • Membermn
  • Knight of the RT
  • *
  • Posts: 891
  • NO CONFIDENCE
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #20 on: October 20, 2009, 02:55:24 PM »
What annoys me is the way these abusers and con artists make it really hard for decent guys to find new friends when women get burned like that.

AND, the way sites like those absolve themselves of responsibility by use of 'user agreements'.

Please sisters.  Don't be deluded by what I may say or do here.
Jane knows me well enough now and the reason why I maintain the 'bad Santa' look sometimes.
pobox486cronulla@hotmail.com    I have NO HERO'S or IDOLS.  I will question everything and anyone having faith only in myself.

cueperkins

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #21 on: October 20, 2009, 03:09:03 PM »
Don't be deluded by what I may say or do here

Too late Misha...we already have you sized up for the sin bin...isn't that right boys?  We like Bad Santa's....Tello prefers Zombie Santa's....Attack of the Zombie Santa's, But for now...Bad is Good enough.  We'll be seeing ya....

 :sinbin: :gaol:

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #22 on: October 20, 2009, 03:17:38 PM »
Pip pip. Tally HO!

       
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

cueperkins

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #23 on: October 20, 2009, 03:42:12 PM »
Ho, Ho, Ho.....

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #24 on: October 20, 2009, 03:45:00 PM »
WTF? You asked for it!

"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

cueperkins

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #25 on: October 20, 2009, 03:52:18 PM »
What did I ask for...... Santa Ho's?  Is that like Panty Hose?

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #26 on: October 20, 2009, 03:55:18 PM »
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

cueperkins

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #27 on: October 20, 2009, 04:13:30 PM »
But....do they come with fries?

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2009, 04:29:15 PM »
Chips.
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

cueperkins

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #29 on: October 20, 2009, 04:44:37 PM »
I know that...so do you...but the rest of America doesn't....lol

And as for GR8...well he eats Chups !!!  probly with vunegar !!!


cueperkins

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #30 on: October 20, 2009, 04:57:11 PM »
Hey Tello......Yib should be home from work in an hour....

Then we can.....



Which thread should we Hijack?...have any preferences?

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #31 on: October 20, 2009, 05:49:28 PM »
Hawk - http://home.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user


I am sure your not a stalker, despite what I read on twitter lol.

gr8-expectations

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #32 on: October 20, 2009, 10:11:30 PM »
HAWK RHYMES WITH STALK - SO.......


I SAY BURN HIM AT THE STAKE!

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #33 on: October 20, 2009, 11:50:13 PM »
HAWK RHYMES WITH STALK - SO.......


I SAY BURN HIM AT THE STAKE!

Haha what you cant stand the competition.


Hawk - http://home.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user


I am sure your not a stalker, despite what I read on twitter lol.


My first mistake was looking on Face book, joined facebook and still cant find you.

As for what is on twitter, if it was true you would have had a dozen emails from trusted people warning you. The ID on there that is like the one I use here is a fake as I am sure you already know

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #34 on: October 21, 2009, 01:10:05 AM »
Night hawk - I am a casual user of twitter, i enjoy it cause in some weird sort of way its funny seeing people trade insults, though that has really calmed down.  I used to tune in everynight to watch the karen and bruce show.  It was hilarious at time, and well did I learn a few things.  I admired Karens spunk, she seemed like a very gutsy lady, but not knowing the history it was very confusing too. 

But I dont judge people on what others say, I trust my own judgement.


tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #35 on: October 21, 2009, 01:46:10 AM »
All the smack about me here is true.
Judge the smackers.
I'm only in this for the Australian Travel Information.....
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #36 on: October 21, 2009, 11:57:13 AM »
I am a casual user of twitter, i enjoy it cause in some weird sort of way its funny seeing people trade insults, though that has really calmed down.

Thats because we have chosen to make our account private so we can chat in peace.
Yes Karen is a special person, I admire her in many ways and think she would be a great person to meet in RL, maybe one day.

Yes I have seen your twit account, thats if its really you and not another fake, so many fakes have been created to rubbish ebay IDs.

Still cant find you on Myspace   

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #37 on: October 21, 2009, 12:05:52 PM »
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #38 on: October 21, 2009, 05:27:33 PM »
Hawk - That is my twitter account

gr8-expectations

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #39 on: October 21, 2009, 05:32:03 PM »
All the smack about me here is true.
Judge the smackers.
I'm only in this for the Australian Travel Information.....


Australian Travel Information/Advisory to residents of Montello Nevada

don't

gr8-expectations

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #40 on: October 21, 2009, 05:32:48 PM »
rumour has it you are a babe coinee manmum?

gr8-expectations

  • Guest
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #41 on: October 21, 2009, 05:34:10 PM »
ps... the rumour was started by you lol (prolly true tho)

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #42 on: October 22, 2009, 10:14:25 AM »
Gee GR8 you really know how to impress


misha

  • Membermn
  • Knight of the RT
  • *
  • Posts: 891
  • NO CONFIDENCE
pobox486cronulla@hotmail.com    I have NO HERO'S or IDOLS.  I will question everything and anyone having faith only in myself.

mandurahmum

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 2560
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #44 on: October 22, 2009, 01:45:38 PM »
ps... the rumour was started by you lol (prolly true tho)

But you really should not believe everything you read on the internet lol

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #45 on: October 22, 2009, 02:51:56 PM »
ps... the rumour was started by you lol (prolly true tho)

But you really should not believe everything you read on the internet lol

That’s right I could tell you all I am young, fantastically fit and  a billionaire bachelor  ;D

*CountessA*

  • Administrator
  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 35154
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #46 on: October 22, 2009, 02:58:52 PM »
I am a small Finnish-speaking watermelon who has escaped from a slot machine.

There.

You read it online, so it must be true.
"No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe; every man is ...a part of the maine; ...any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde"

Bazinga

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 709
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #47 on: October 22, 2009, 03:07:37 PM »
I am a small Finnish-speaking watermelon who has escaped from a slot machine.

There.

You read it online, so it must be true.

Countess my story is true, or it is in my dreams

*Ubbie Max*

  • Knights of the RT
  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 10139
  • Never take a knife to a gunfight
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #48 on: October 22, 2009, 04:18:25 PM »
Awh Countess, must you be a Watermelon? You know what I think of Watermelons.

tellomon

  • Knight of the RT
  • *****
  • Posts: 51519
  • You don't get everything you want at Tello's.
    • facebook
Re: The dangers of being too trusting online
« Reply #49 on: October 22, 2009, 05:00:05 PM »
The Biggest Drum Set in Nevada is in Nevada. It's on the Internet!

Internet safe link!

rontello.com
"The B@zturd Love Child of Comix & a News Organization"