12 yr old boy gets on-line girlfriend...turns out to be a dirty, old man

**Terminator** · 10-25-06, 01:10 PM

Samuel began using MXit immediately after receiving his cellphone.

He explained that at first, he used the network to have conversations with his school friends and sports buddies, but soon he became curious about the chat rooms.

"I just wanted to see what the chat rooms were all about. I didn't plan on getting hooked on chatting," Samuel says, his eyes downcast and his voice a mere whisper.

'The anonymity of chat rooms means that trust and intimacy can develop quickly'
Samuel revealed that he soon began chatting with one particular person, a user who was known to him as "Candy 14".

"We started chatting and she told me she was living in Pietermaritzburg and was 14 years old," Samuel said, adding that he was very pleased with himself for finding himself a 14-year-old female friend who described herself as "spunky, cute and sugar-sweet".

"We spoke about everything, our families, our schools, our likes and dislikes. It was so cool. She told me her real name was Claudia," said Samuel.

Samuel divulged that pretty soon, the conversations became more personal, with "Claudia" asking him about girls, his preferences when it came to choosing girlfriends, what turned him on and other topics that Samuel was loathe to confess.

It was after about a month of chatting on MXit that "Claudia" asked Samuel to meet in person.

Samuel readily agreed, eager to put a face to the name and meet his new friend.

The two set up a meeting for a Saturday afternoon at Milky Lane in Scottsville, where Samuel was going to be identified by the black Quicksilver T-shirt and military cargo pants he was wearing.

Samuel informed his parents that he was meeting friends at the movies and was dropped off by his father.

"After about 10 minutes of waiting, I was approached by an old man who had been standing nearby. He asked if my name was Samuel. I did not answer him because I was scared," he said.

The man told Samuel that he was Claudia and wanted to "get to know him better".

"He made a move for my hand and I just bolted," Samuel said, adding that he ran to the public restroom, locked himself in and called his parents.

"I broke down. I told this man such intimate and personal things about myself and my family. I am so ashamed," the young boy said.

**Bosco3379** · 10-25-06, 05:50 PM

I have no sympathy for that kid. What kind of an idiot gives out that kind of personal information to someone he hasn't even met in real life before!?