LPguitarman Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 My twin sons are on Facebook alot. They are always "friending" people, some of which are complete strangers. Here is the dilema...a Facebook Friend who is a stranger,(female),about their age has told them she bought expensive guitars for both of them. A Rickenbacker Fireglow bass for one and an EVH Wolfgang for the other. Probably in the range of $2,000 a piece a least. She lives in Indiana and says she will drive to St. Louis on their birthday (July 31st) and deliver the guitars. Should they accept such expensive gifts from someone they only chat with over the internet? My wife and I are wondering if there is some kind of catch, or is she just being completely too nice, IMO. When she comes to St. Louis, should we let her stay the night at our house, or make her go to a motel? If this really comes true, I think it would be rude to make her stay in a motel after spending that much on my kids. But on the other hand, she is a complete stranger and my wife and I are a little leery about letting her stay the night. Of course, with my kids' schedule, they are up all night anyway and sleep during the day, but I'm not sure about the girl's schedule. She has shown them pictures of the guitars in cases with the shipping box next to them. I know anyone can get those kind of pictures on the internet if they really looked for them. There is still the sense that she is really not telling the truth and I guess we'll see in late July if she actually comes through. I would hate to deny my kids' such wonderful gifts, but I hesitate to let it play through. As I said before, what will she want in return. BTW, she also looks a little creepy in her photograph's on Facebook. Currently, they both have girlfriends which plays another factor in the situation. I gave them the example, what if some woman at my work were to buy me an expensive gift like that, my wife would go bonkers. I can't tell for sure what their girlfriends are thinking, but I know I wouldn't like it if I was in their girlfriends situation on this matter. My wife is strongly against the whole deal, but I am torn between the dream and the reality. You comments and advice are more than welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Sounds fishy. People aren't that generous 99.999% of the time. If you do accept, make her stay in a hotel/motel. Just say there isn't enough room in the house for another person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vega1 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Have you seen the movie "Catfish"? I suggest you rent it, just for context if nothing else. I agree that it sounds fishy. Ask yourself why someone would do this? Either a) they have unlimited funds and are in the habit of buying people they only know from the internet very expensive gifts (in which case again... why would they do this?) or b ) this is fishy and things can only go bad. maybe I'm cynical, but I think the answer is clear here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57classic Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I'm not going to give you advice on such a personal issue BUT, I see no dilemma. You don't know her. I wouldn't let her stay and wouldn't let my kids accept such gifts without learning much more about her first. Fine to establish friendship but that comes before the rest. Having conversations online is not, in and of itself, enough in my mind to get to the level you are suggesting. I wouldn't put my family in such a vulnerable position. Good luck with your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickFromMunhall Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. You don't say how old your sons are, but young people are entirely too trusting and naive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 If it sounds too good to be true, it PROBABLY is. I would tell the boys to gracefully decline to gifts AND visit. As one that believes there are way more good people on this earth than crazies, all it takes is one psycho to really ruin your day (this I say from personal experience(s)). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlutter Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 contact yout local Police as soon as possible and turn the information over to them. Nobody buys like that for nothing. Call the police now!!! Dlutter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Get her a hotel room prior to her arrival and meet her there. The boys can bail if things start turning out weird, and she will not know how to find them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Sounds very fishy to me, I wouldn't even let them consider accepting. There are a lot of sickos on the internet, I've been to some of the darker corners. Now, I have friends who live in numerous other countries and I have received and shipped small things, but never something that insanely pricey. That being said I have met 5 people who I met on the internet, with no complications at all. The thing there is I wouldn't have even considered it if I didn't know them so well (this includes confirming that they are not 50 year old pedophiles). They are all active members in a community I've contributed a lot of time towards (admittedly it is a very tightly knit community, a bit of a strange oasis among internet sites), and I consider them good friends. I'm much more discerning than most when it comes to conversing via internet, I refuse to add people who I don't know on facebook (the whole idea seems stupid to me, and in rare cases has done harm). I'd say your sons need to be considerably more careful about their interweb based activities. Not seeing such insane gifts as immediate red flags shows a bit of naivete that they may need to work on. God forbid they stumble upon 4chan... My call... No go If you do end up allowing it, meet her in a public place (that way you drop no $ on a hotel, and you have the safety of being out in the open). This is key, first time I met an online friend was at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in NYC (on those huge front steps), and make sure you have a getway plan. You really can't be too safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Show your sons this thread so that they can see what everybody else thinks about the situation and how it's important to stay safe on the internet. This person knows your names, address and family details. Facebook is a big worry to me. Meanwhile the originator has just floated it all on the stock market and his marrying his beautiful physician girlfriend. I hope he sleeps soundly knowing that this kind of thing goes on on his creation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Get her a hotel room prior to her arrival and meet her there. Don't even think about that idea for god's sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 You guys need to wake up. Cut contact, completely. Its so easy to make your self look female and Innocent on the interent that even Axe could do it. Don't be stupid, just walk away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Never take candy from strangers... <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I am in total agreement with dem00n Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 dem00n is a smart kid! But if you are interested in moving forward. Get her phone # and speak to her before she makes the trip. Ask her why she is spending all of this money on your kids.... ANYONE would understand a protective parent in a situation like this. At least, they should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Agree completely with all the very good advice so far; have absolutely nothing to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 This is the kind of stuff that leads to a made for tv movie. Chances are its an older man posing as a teenage girl and he is looking to abduct your kids. Have your sons say you'll be in their town for the weekend and that they will stop by. - but they'll need the address. Take a look on the registered sex offenders list once you get it, I bet you'll be surprised what you find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Another one hopping on dem00n's boat, I meant it to be implied that you should cut all contact but left it out for one reason or another. Take a look on the registered sex offenders list once you get it, I bet you'll be surprised what you find. Friend of mine did this a while back, he got really freaking paranoid... strange density of sex offenders in his area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I would personally pass on the whole deal. Unless a gift of such expense is given by family, it could lead to more trouble than it is worth. Case in point, when I turned 18, my girlfriend at the time purchased a Gibson SG for my birthday. Two years later, I was being sued for the cost of the guitar. Although she lost the civil suit, it was just more trouble than it was worth..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I just wrote a newspaper story about an FBI agent telling Middle School kids about Internet dangers. This sounds only too much like what I'd heard. Your kids letting you know - somehow - about this also is a loud alarm. Me, I'd certainly consider a call to your local FBI and ask for their Internet crime specialist. If this individual does not have your phone and address and school the kids attend, don't give it out; if they/you have, for sure call the FBI. Don't call the "person" because that also can give your phone number and opens a number of other potentially nasty possibilities. In a best case scenario, nothing happens. In a worst case, having the FBI aware in advance is not a bad thing. I may be a bit on the cowardly side on this, but I never was one to walk into a sleazy bar and ask for a fight with the meanest guy there, either. I've never particularly ever believed in a free lunch, either... Edit: There are "Internet friends" who almost certainly can be determined to be as safe as friends one meets in a bar, restaurant or at work. I've never met one who wanted to give me a guitar. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Have "her" send the guitars with certificates of "gifts" to a P.O. box of your choice and let your sons thank her on facebook with one of those "like" buttons.........Meanwhile, find out who "she" is............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flem snopes Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Get the Police involved. They've seen this kind of thing before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Re-reading the OP and replies, it seems 99.99% like a very nasty case of entrapment which has already started with the predator (again very high probability male or males) setting up a classic internet honeytrap which is now ensnaring your children. Clear and present danger. Call the law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Just another thought to add........ Even on the very very small chance that this is genuine you must tell your sons that it's not appropriate to accept a gift from somebody you don't know very very well as either a family member or a friend of the family, no matter how small or big. Furthermore, something so expensive and well crafted needs to be earned through hard work and by demonstrating the maturity and responsibility needed to own it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 Thanks for all of the replies and advice. To answer a few questions, the kids will be 21 in July, so I really don't have the legal authority to tell them what to do, just give them advice, which I will indeed pass this thread on to them for their consideration. I like the idea about meeting "her" somewhere rather than having her come to my home. Since my sons don't drive yet (I know, another long story), I could actually be the one to take them to some public place. I thought about her being a stalker possibly, but I never though about her maybe not even being a young girl and possibly an older man trying to abduct them. I may try that avenue of getting her phone number and actually talking to her. If she sound legit, I'll have further evidence to consider. I also like the comment about them actually earning something rather than things being given to them. I agree, why would someone just out of the blue spend 4-5 thousand dollars on complete strangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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