Ok, this is quite a long story. I hope it makes sense. **Real names have not been used**
On the weekend, my daughter came to me and said "Mum, theres something odd going on with some of my friends that i want to talk to you about cause im a bit worried"
She tells me that 3 of her friends (lets call them Tom, Jim and Sue) have made friends on facebook with a boy (lets call him John) they dont know who lives in Newcastle. Tom, Jim and Sue live in Adelaide.
Tom became friends with John first by receiving an out of the blue friend request from him.
John claims to be a 16 year old boy. His facebook page has lots of photos of him with heaps of friends. He's quite a good looking kid.
Tom think John is so cool and, via facebook, introduces him to Jim and Sue.
John strikes up quite a friendship with Sue and last week asked her to be his girlfriend. Sue is completely infatuated with John.
John has now said that his dad is going to bring him to Adelaide in a couple of weeks to meet Tom, Jim and Sue.
He has even said that a great place for them to all meet up would be the local swimming pool.
None of this sits right with me. Why a kid in Newcastle (a popular, good looking one according to his facebook page) would need to make friends with strangers in Adelaide. Would want one of them to be his girlfriend and then get his dad to bring him all the way over here to meet them.
Im not sure if you are all aware of the of the Carly Ryan story, but it is making me quite nervous about whats going on.
Carly Ryan- http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/lifestyle/article/-/7013312/internet-predators/
I know Jim's mother quite well and am going to talk to her about it all tomorrow. I know she has no idea who Jim talks to on facebook.
Im wondering, should i go to the police? They could at least investigate if John is real. I thought about going to the school, but all they would do is give a talk about internet predators and the kids would ignore it.
Over the weekend, my daughter tried to talk to Tom and Jim about the risks but they just didnt get it. They think John is so cool.
The whole "better to be safe than sorry" phrase keeps popping in my head.
Oh, and by the way, John's last name on facebook in Smith
maybe if i had written about which political party he votes for or his hair colour, i may get more replies and help
I would do exactly what you are doing and also contact the parents of the other 2. If they don't contact police, you should then do that.
I dont really know the other 2 parents. Only enough to say a hello if i happen to see them at a school event.
I'd tell the police Amy....if your child finds it odd, it prob. is! I'm sure the police have a special section to deal with internet creeps.
thats what im leaning towards.
I figure, they would investigate the id and if its legit, then that would be the end of it.
If its not, then isnt there an internet predator department that deals with this sort of stuff and i can sleep better knowing i helped a bit.
My daughter is going to ask a few more questions about John at school today. And i will talk to Jim's mum tomorrow.
But im thinking, i will go to the police station on Wednesday.
I couldnt live with myself if one day, the news headline read about a kid being lured by an internet predator using the name John Smith.
I think it is serious enough to call them, even if you don't know them.
I dont want to come across as a parent lecturing another parent on their kids ?:|
Im pretty sure Jim's mum knows Tom's mum pretty well so maybe after i talk to her tomorrow, she may talk to Toms mum then
