BB FANS

Sorry to get all serious on you (won't happen again I promise ) but I've got a bit of a problem which I can't figure out how to solve.

Someone I know is not listening to any advice given out in their direction and they're going to go through with something I see as being a) stupid and b) potentially dangerous.

She's 18 and fairly gullible actually and she's recently been speaking to a bloke on the internet who now claims he loves her. This bloke is about 35 years old and lives an hour and a half away at least. She's planning to go and meet this guy where he lives. She claims that she can trust him and they've been chatting on webcam etc.

We've tried reasoning with her but she won't listen to any advice given and she's determined to meet up with him.

Anyone got any other advice? Am I wrong to see something very wrong with the situation?

What about meeting up with him but taking someone with her? They could meet on neutral ground.

Not everyone on the internet is a lunatic..(although there are some out there)

I know that and that's why I don't want to prejudge anyone but I'm just quite wary of the situation.

I've tried to suggest neutral ground but she wasn't having it. She also said that she was going on her own as she wants to meet him on her own. I'll try again with that one.

Yeah, stop doing me out of a date

Nah Millys right, you need an intermediary without any complications or the person taking a HUGE risk

If your that worried morrisey, agree to go along and scarper if it all looks kosher, a sacrifice, but still better then an alternative.

Hmm well the safe thing to do for the first meeting would be to suggest that she takes someone with her and meets somewhere neutral.. that way she might not like him but she can still get away safely.

yes Rincey's suggestion is an alternative.. you could kind of skulk about and if she needs you, you are there.

Well its in the presumption that she won't listen to reason, its a last resort though.

Why is she so 'anti' anybody going with her? Surely you'd think that she would be taking her own safety as a priority - personally I don't have much experience of meeting anybody from the Internet and the time that I did was a bit different as we'd met before but not 'met' (let's not go there ) but know that if it was a complete random I would definitely want somebody there "just in case" if you like.

Neutral and very public meeting places are an absolute must in these cases.

Otherwise,you could just as easily pick up a nutter in a pub tbh.

The sad thing is people on the internet can paint themselves to be what ever they like and the result can be devastating to people. What we say we are on the internet can be very different from what we ARE in real life. I have met some lovely people off the internet and I hope they werent dissapointed with me. there are others though that have different agendas and can be very needy and the outcome (I have heard) has been devastating. I hope your friend takes heed and takes along someone with her.

I think that the advice given here is relatively sound. Im guessing her motivation for going alone is probably to do with saving face if it doesnt turn out the way she likes, for example if he doesnt turn up, or if hes not as described.

I can understand you being worried Morrisey. However, you dont have to actually accompany her to keep in touch. If she has a mobile, you could arrange to call her half an hour into the meeting which will give her a "get out" option if things arent going as well as she hopes, and will reassure you if things are going ok. Then she could call you back when shes on the way home.

No-one wants a babysitter when they are going on a date, she would prolly feel immature and stupid turning up to meet a 35 year old guy with a mate in tow. Shes going for an older guy because she wants to feel like a grown up.

Is it advisable? No, prolly not, but she wont be comfortable doing any of it if shes being chaperoned. Give her contact options but keep your distance.

It's all a question of trust Mozzer, how well does she really know this man? It takes a long time time to build real trust between people (does me anyway)

You showing caution is cool, shows you care and hopefully she'll take it onboard.

I hope it goes well.

On the other hand I met Westy and he really wasn't a weetabix at all

And I met HC....she was SO thin

Diet needed pah!

*slap*