Attorney general promotes teen Internet safety

Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning displays a slide -- to gasps and groans of McCook Junior High students -- of an Internet sex predator who passed himself off as a teenage girl.

"Jenny" is 14 and enjoys field hockey.

"How many of you boys would like to meet her?" Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning asked an auditorium of McCook Junior High students.

Their whoops and cheers turned to a collective groan and gasp of shock as a photo of "Jenny," actually a 30-something child molester, appeared on the screen.

Bruning warned the students to never give personal information about themselves over the Internet, and to be sure of who they are "chatting" with.

Better yet, use the phone.

It's important to be aware of what you're disclosing when you're online, Bruning said. What may seem to be an insignificant piece of information can be used to find out a lot about a person.

His presentation used an actual example, of a phone number given in a chat room, which was used to find out much about a potential victim.

Despite being unlisted, the number, entered into a reverse phone book, could be used to determine where the girl lived, where she went to school, and even directions to her home.

"Forty-five minutes, and they've found you," Bruning said.

"Never assume the person on the other end is who they say they are," he said.

Bruning said he was delivering the message to 13- and 14-year-olds because they are at an especially vulnerable age. Not adults, yet no longer children, they have a certain amount of freedom, but are still vulnerable.

"There are a lot of sick people out there, and you are the target," he said.

"Yes, I know you think you're 'bulletproof,'" Bruning said, but he urged the students to "be smart, be skeptical and know who you are talking to."

"Unfortunately, there are a lot of dangerous criminals out there who use the Internet as a tool to find their next victim. You may think you're talking to a peer, when in reality he or she may be a middle-age, convicted sex offender," Bruning said.

He also urged the youngsters and their parents to be cautious when conducting business over the Internet.

In another scam, two older Nebraskans were taken for $90,000 after being told they had won money in a Canadian lottery and only needed to pay the taxes on the winnings to claim their prize.

"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," he said.

Anyone who receives suspicious calls or has questions about Internet contacts should contact local law enforcement agencies or the Nebraska Attorney General's office.

More information is available at www.ago.state.ne.us.

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