Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Welcome Author Jordan Dane

By Jordan Dane

Imagine the horror of going to your teenager’s bedroom one morning only to find her missing. Her bed hadn’t been slept in and her clothes are gone.

In 2000, that’s what one mother in Florida faced. Her only child had conspired against her and ran away. And worse, she later discovered that her daughter had left the country—without having a passport. From the moment I read this news story, I was hooked and had to know more about how such an atrocity could happen. The teen’s trail might have gone ice cold, but her mother pushed authorities in a direction.

She knew where to start looking.

Only six months earlier, the girl had received a computer for a gift—a thoughtful present from a mother who wanted the best for her child. But this gift soon brought a virtual menace into t heir home. A charming and anonymous stranger lured the 14-year old girl to Greece—a man she’d met in a teen chat room. We’ve all heard stories like this. But after researching the facts behind this case, I was amazed at the audacity of this Internet predator.

And I wanted to shed light on the shrewd tactics of online predators in my upcoming book—Evil Without A Face (Feb 2009, Avon)—the first book in my Sweet Justice series.

The online predator not only manipulated the teenager in Florida, but he also convinced law-abiding adults to cooperate with his schemes. These people thought they were helping an abused kid, but they didn’t know the facts, check with her family or contact local law enforcement. This stranger duped an employee of the local phone company into arranging for a private cell phone to talk to the girl directly. His slick manipulation scored him a purchased airline ticket (without a direct connection to him) and a clandestine ride for the girl to the airport. But after he bribed a child pornographer to acquire an illegal passport for her to leave the United States, the girl was out of the country before her mother knew she was gone.

And the chase to save the girl was on—a mother’s worst fear.

Now I know what some of you are thinking. This happened in 2000, before the added airport security measures were implemented after 9/11 in 2001. The girl would never have been allowed on a plane without proper ID. But after contacting a source in the airline industry, I was shocked to learn how many children travel unaccompanied and without a valid ID on domestic flights these days. So this extraordinary Florida case became the framework for my novel, Evil Without A Face. And I chose to set part of the story in the unique venue of Alaska where I had lived for ten years.

My novels have the feel of being ripped from today's headlines because real crime inspires me. Who says crime doesn't pay? Violence is like the ripple effect on the surface of still water. The wake radiates out from the victim and touches many people. In my books, I give a voice to the many victims of crime.

In Evil Without A Face, an illusive web of imposters on the Internet lures a deluded teen from her Alaskan home and launches a chain reaction collision course with an unlikely tangle of heroes. A new kind of criminal organization becomes the faceless enemy behind an insidious global conspiracy. And the life of one young girl and countless others hang in the balance. This is the initial driver to my new series. With an international setting, these thrillers will focus on the lives and loves of three women—a bounty hunter operating outside the law, an ambitious vice cop, and a former international operative with a mysterious past. These women give Lady Justice a whole new reason to wear blinders.

And their brand of justice is anything but sweet.

After researching the case in Florida, I became more concerned for naïve kids socializing in cyberspace—young people like my nieces and nephews. Savvy online criminals lurk in anonymity and carry on without fear of repercussion. I’m an active member of MySpace and Facebook and know how they operate. But these social networks aren’t the problem—the criminals are. And as you’ve seen in the headlines and on TV, the online community has become a real hunting ground for predators.

Why not? It’s easy pickings.

For the most part, the Internet is an invaluable tool. And it breaks down the barriers between countries, allowing many of us to have international friends. But the anonymity of cyberspace attracts all sorts of users with criminal intent. Terrorists have found new high-tech ways to recruit online and they have duped some Internet users into funding their activities or have resorted to outright stealing through subterfuge. And since crimes that cross over jurisdictions and international borders are harder to prosecute, offenders often get away with their schemes. That's why I wanted to write Evil Without A Face and dole out my brand justice. After all, who couldn’t use a liberal dose of ‘Sweet Justice’ when reality becomes stranger than fiction?

How has your use of the Internet changed over the years? Have you become more suspicious of certain behaviors from online strangers? And if you have children who use online resources, can you share some tips on how you keep them safer?

NOTE: 3 lucky posters will win autographed copies of Jordan's books so don't be shy.

54 comments:

Anonymous said...

FROM: Mary-Frances--

Jordan,
Great post! I think you know I'm a fan of your books. I also wanted to say, for people who may not know you, that you are one of the kindest, most generous writers I've ever met! Congrats on the new book.

Anonymous said...

congrats on the books
i try not to use and my credit cards on line as much. and i do stay away from chats

kh

amy kennedy said...

I'm using the internet now more than ever--so my usage has gone up, obviously. I'm also buying more things online.

But, I do refrain from specifics on blogs that I follow--no kid names, or where I live specifically.

Youngest can only be online if a parent is in the room with him--I'd like that to be a rule until he's 47.

Lori T said...

I use the internet much more now than I ever have before.

I pretty much monitor where my kids go and much to their annoyance read over their shoulders. I have always told my kids to be aware of the information that they are sharing with people online and to only interact with people they actually know!

Jane said...

Hi Jordan,
Congrats on the new release. I'm looking forward to your Sweet Justice series. I'm a lot more careful when I'm shopping online. I make sure the page is secure before I type in my credit card information. I'm also more award of phishing emails that are supposedly from my bank or Paypal accounts.

Jordan Dane said...

Ahhh, Mary Francis--You are the coolest ever. And it was so much fun to meet at Thrillerfest in NYC last year. I had a blast! And you were one of the reasons why.

I LOVE this new series and the characters in this new world. I'm writing #6 now and find that I can't wait to get into the writing of it, because I can't wait to see how it ends. LOL

Jordan Dane said...

Thanks for commenting, kh. The credit card thing is pretty scary too. Do you know that ID thieves try to locate "parts" of your ID and post it to a site to "gather" intel on you. And when they have enough to really make it worth their while, they sell it. They might have a credit card here, an address from another spot, your soc security number off medical cards, the name of a fav pet, your mother's maiden name--the kinds of things that can lead to a detection of a password. Online crimes have gotten so sophisticated. And I try to reveal some of that in this book.

Thanks for posting a comment.

Jordan Dane said...

Ok, Amy. You cracked me up. Why 47? Is that a magic "I got my act together" year? 'Cuz if my brother is any indication, I think he needs to go back to the factory where he came from marked DEFECTIVE.

I've been buying more things online too. But really, anywhere you show your card, there is potential for crime. It's really scary these days. We all trust the retail clerks not to take our info down, but these are hourly employees. It can happen.

And GET THIS---EVERYONE READ THIS--I had to cancel my only credit card after I saw 2 charges on it for $75 each from a gas station. The amount threw me and since I work from home, I don't have to fill up the car much these days. So I called in a dispute for my VISA guys to investigate. Long story short, I found out my card was swiped at an automated pump by someone coming behind me. Apparently, they can steal your magnetic card info AT THE PUMP. My fraud dept people told me it was best to go inside to transact business and not do it at the pump so I would have a receipt of my transaction, but having that receipt doesn't help if people can steal your swipe info. So I had to get a new card. How many of us swipe at the pump? Jeez

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Lori--Thanks for your comment. I was chatting about this internet safety thing with Allison Brennan, a talented suspense author. And for one of her books, she had a predator hunt people by looking at the background information on the pictures people post--things like landmark buildings, schools, city indicators, clothing that might have a location name on it.

Scary thought, huh? Online predators don't think like normal people. They hunt. That's why they are there.

If they see a comment someone makes about any specific activities, like "see you at the ball game tomorrow night", they may be able to find out where you will be.

I actually hate being so cautious. I don't like being afraid or too guarded about what I do. Hell, I'm an open book to my friends, literally. I also like to assume people are basically good, but when it comes to the safety of kids, I think extra precautions are important. I think it's important to convey why certain things are taboo online so they understand, but there is a balance not to make them afraid of their own shadow.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Jane--Someone on another blog I did mentioned this, but when you are logging into a secured site to use your credit card, look for the domain uptop to change to https:// rather than http:// and to look for the secure "padlock" icon at the bottom. I had heard about the padlock thing, but not the https. I'll have to pay attention to that the next time.

And I've gotten those Paypal phishing emails before. They scared me the first time I got one...just the fact that they know you used Paypal. I stopped using Paypal for a while.

I do get a laugh out of those emails where the person's English is so bad they make you laugh. "If you would be kind to send your credit card to me, I will repay your kindness with many camels at your door. Sincerely, Your Bank Manager"

Unknown said...

Jordan,welcome to the convertible! This book sounds fascinating. And chilling.

I'm much more careful these days and use my delete button a lot faster-- don't bother to open e-mails from people I don't recognize or have an established relationship with. I also read addresses and verify sender information. I also limit my "surfing" to very traditional (and protected) engines. A little boring, but much safer.

Anonymous said...

Your book sounds great! I'm adding it to my TBR list now....

I saw some of the story you shared about the Florida teenager, but didn't know all the details. Unbelievable!!!!

I don't do a lot of "interacting" on the internet aside from email. Some purchases, but not many. It always suprises me when I get an email from MY email address! But I just delete those along with any others that I don't recognize without even opening them.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Betina--Thanks for commenting. I like what you said about the delete button.

Another thing I do with my delete button applies to those e-cards everyone sends. If the e-card company is not one you I'm familiar with or trust, I delete the card, even if I know the person. These e-card site are known for their computer viruses. It's kind of a bummer to delete things from a friend, but I'd rather keep my computer safe (especially since I write full time and make my money off my computer) and not be cursing my friend for sending me a damned cyber-bug.

And I am really hating all the embedded files that monitor your internet surfing. Another pet peeve of mine. Yahoogroups is now forewarning its patrons to "opt out" of a new monitoring thing they will be doing. And you have to opt out for all the computers you plan to use, cell phones included. And when you hit pages on the internet, pages now will put tracking programs into your computer. This is especially true for the biggest internet search engine - Internet Explorer. Whoever plants these programs knows that Internet Explorer is the most used search engine. When I first noticed my computer slowing down a hair, I ran an ad-aware program and detected 400 little buggers. Now I have to run this program daily and still get 5-10 of them. Very annoying.

robynl said...

I, too, am more on line that a few years ago; I love chats, auctions, blogs, contests.

I have started bidding on auctions put on by authors to benefit a cause or someone and have won some so therefore I have been using a card. Also, I have ordered from Amazon and B & N.

Playground Monitor said...

I'm late to the party because I have a nasty cold and just crashed on the sofa yesterday. My kids are grown and the internet wasn't around that much when they were little. Now they're on their own and I can only hope they use common sense.

My sister once told me (she's a CPA) that it was safer to use your credit card online than to hand it to a waiter and let him take it out of your sight to run the charge. Of course, this was several years ago and online thieves have gotten smarter. That's why I scrutinize my bills to make sure all the charges are mine.

Your book sounds fascinating. I was just watching a talk show yesterday about online predators. And I saw a show several months ago about a woman who worked with the FBI and posed as a teenager online to lure predators.

Marilyn

Keri Ford said...

Ugh. Stuff like this gives me the shivers! The internet started taking off while I was in my teens, so I was right in the middle of that take off. We chatted in rooms, did online games where we chatted and all sorts of things.

I, realistic that I am, never involved myself seriously with anyone that I didn't know by face or lived beyond a 45minute or so radius. Like I was going to drive farther than that for a date? When I had curfew? no way. I'd spend most of my time in the car.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Robin & Marilyn--Thanks for your comments and for stopping by to play. The whole online criminal thing has been a fascination for me that I've developed from the research behind my most recent books. And with cyberspace harder to police and the anonymity online being a factor, it is hard to prosecute these crimes if the criminal knows how to route their internet service provider through a foreign country that won't cooperate with the U.S. in pursuing them. Even my nephew tells me he can hide his ISP and knows how to do it. LOL

But that's why I wanted to title my new series "Sweet Justice" and to write about my covert agency behind my international operative Alexa Marlowe--The Sentinels. They are an anonymous coalition of countries and powerful leaders who are nothing more than vigilantes--but they serve up their brand of justice. And it's anything but sweet. I like the idea of getting some sort of justice in a world where online criminals and human traffickers are more likely to get away with murder than get caught.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Keri--Your post cracked me up. So your idea of safety had more to do with drive time. LOL

But there is so much truth to what you're saying. Kids make mistakes because they think nothing can happen to them. They are bulletproof.

And in my book, my bounty hunter heroine has a line that's stuck with me--"a kid's mistake should not be a death sentence...or life without parole." She heard herself say the line and realized that it applied to what happened to her too. She'd been beating herself up over her past and it was time to let things go. A major revelation for her.

Helen Brenna said...

Hey Jordan - Thanks for visiting with us today and congrats on the new book! I'm with Betina - chilling. I have kids that are on the Internet a lot and this kind of stuff freaks me out.

And more congrats are in order, I think!! Wasn't your first book named one of Publisher's Weekly's best of 2008?

Yay!!

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Helen--Thanks for taking the time to join us.

Yes, NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM was named Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008 for Mass-market Paperback. One of 5 books picked. The talented Sherry Thomas was the only other debut author picked too. She writes romantic historicals. The two of us had met on a Levy Tour of MI only months before so we had fun chatting each other up after PW made the announcement. What a shocker!! My book was with PW in Dec 07. How they remembered my book from that far back was a real shock too. My house sent me flowers and they loved it. Thanks for mentioning that.

Michele Hauf said...

Jordan, great to have you here today!

It never ceases to amaze me how people are so afraid to use their credit cards online and yet they'll had it over to a waitress in a restaurant, who will disappear with it for five minutes, and not think a thing of it. !!!!


I've always kept a close eye on my kids' internet usage, but when my son was 16 he managed to line up a deal to buy a laptop online for $300. I told him it was too good to be true. He wanted that laptop! When they asked him to wire the money, I said 'no way'. Paypal, or nothing, buddy. Never wire money to anyone you don't know during an online transaction.

He learned a lot from that, and now he's the one preaching to me about being careful online. :-)

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Michele--Thanks for commenting. Yeah, isn't it funny how willing folks are to handing over their credit card. Buying a laptop online was risky too. You can't see it or take it for a test drive. I had a co-worker who bought a car online - Ebay. He even drove it back from Florida, but once he got it here, he was furious. It was a major lemon. Well, duh? He had big hassles with getting it back to the guy and had to drive back over a weekend so he would miss work. I'd sure like to say he learned his lesson, but I doubt it, poor guy. (sigh)

Debra Dixon said...

Hey Jordan and welcome to the convertible! The book looks yummy!

Great topic. I use the internet constantly but generally know the sites I transact business with. We're lucky that the online craze wasn't as big when our son was at a vulnerable age.

Re: Your gas station incident
We actually had our info stolen from *inside* the store a couple years ago. The clerk was working a scam. If it's not one thing, it's another!!

Cindy Gerard said...

Thanks for joining us today Jordan!
The book sounds amazing.

Anonymous said...

Jordan:

Great post.

I'm a bit paranoid in dealing with things on the Internet. I use company credit cards for purchases with the corporate office being a PO Box. My cell phone number is never entered into the Internet. I've ditched as many Microsloth products as I can. I use advanced firewall and virus scanning software. I never use chat rooms or messaging. My email account is paid for by the corporation. I stay up to date on Internet security by watching the hacker web sites. I rarely use paypal. I don't use web cameras. Every Monday morning, as I'm drinking my morning coffee, I go through all of my accounts online to see if there is anything strange that happened in the past week. It's kept me reasonably safe over the years without adding too much complication to my life.


Much embedded/malware software doesn't work if you are using a Linux operating system. I'm almost completely converted over except for that I still have to write software for Windoze.

Thanks Jordan!

mfross

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Deb--I got to take your wonderful GMC class in Tulsa once and LOVED it. I have your book too. I recommend it on my website on my FOR WRITERS page and my character building article. You're the best. Thanks for posting your comment.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Joe--Man, it is so good to see you here. And it figures you'd find a whole new set of things for us to talk about. Your mind is one big conspiracy gening machine. And my books wouldn't be the same without your input. I'm thanking you publically on this blog and you are a constant fixture on my acknowledgments page. You're terrific, big guy.

I am so with you on the cell phone thing. And I sure would like to ditch my microsloth too. You should see all the automatic patches they load onto my machine to fix their work every day.

And I will look into Linux. No sense putting a traget on your cyberback by having Windoze or Microsloth on your computer.

Have a good week, Joe. And thanks for swinging by today.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Cindy--Thanks so much for having me here today on your great blog. And I see you everywhere. I'm so happy for your continued success.

Anonymous said...

Jordan,
Looking forward to reading EVIL WITHOUT A FACE.

I do shop on the Internet,mostly with companies I am familiar with, and always look for the padlock at the bottom of the page. A couple of my credit cards also have a feature that alows me to obtain a one time use credit card number.
I do monitor my banking and credit info online, but never through links contained in emails.

Both my nieces are on Facebook - one of them has, I feel, too much personal info on her page. She feels it's okay because you have to be a friend to see her info, but even my other niece is concerned.

I love being able to read blogs like RWTTD and being able to visit authors' and publishers' websites.
I've been introduced to and read new authors who I may have overlooked while at the bookstore.

Unknown said...

Hey Jordan, thanks for visiting us. I think we met at ummmmm....hmmmm...RWA? RT, Malice???

Anyway, your books look wonderful. Best of luck with your next release.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Mary C--Glad to see you here. And thanks for your interesting comment. The part about facebook that I would love to know more about is when someone wants to send you a plant (for example), the 3rd party who has this software asks permission to access your page so they can add the software to it. That makes me wary about your neice having so much info on her page. The added protection of not allowing strangers look at her site is good, but it may not protect her from anyone else seeing her page. And who can pass up a nice cyber-plant?

And hey Lois--Thanks for stopping by to comment. We probably did meet at RWA or MWA. I've not been to an RT conference yet. I'm hoping next year. They sound like fun. And I sure would like to do Left Coast Crime in Hawaii. My kind of conference location, but it's not in the cards this year.

Christie Ridgway said...

Jordan: What a fascinating topic! My husband monitors the kids' computer usage (one of those, I'll fold laundry, you snoop divisions of labor).

I buy a lot of stuff online, but I'm pretty careful. I stick with Amazon and other major retailers.

I love eBay, but won't buy anything that costs more than $50 just in case what I get is a disappointment (like that lemon car). I'll risk about that much and not any more.

Thanks for riding with us today!

Debra Dixon said...

Jordan-- Well, thanks, babe! For spreading the gospel according to GMC. (g) Most appreciated.

Re: Linux
My computer guy says it's fab. But then he's a computer guy. How much can we really trust them?? (g) LOL! Actually my guy is fab himself.

Vivian Zabel said...

My mystery/suspense novel, Midnight Hours, deals with the danger on the Internet, too, but I took a different approach than children being the prey. In my book, disabled men are the targets of Midnight.

News stories are excellent sources for plots. Now I want to read Evil Without A Face more than ever.

Hmm ... with the problem with stolen IDs, maybe being a starving writer isn't such a bad idea. Who wants to steal debts?

Vivian
http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com

KylieBrant said...

Welcome to the convertible, Jordan!

I do a ton of shopping online and Michelle makes a good point about the dangers of handing a credit card to a clerk or waiter. I haven't had any problems yet, knock on wood.

Internet safety is taught in Middle and High schools these days. So my kids have always been wary and only allow friends access to their facebook accounts.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Christie--I love that division of labor thing. Too cute. And it's such a guy thing to let him be covert and caring all at the same time. In my story, my poor single mom had already been burned by her daughter and she installed key stroke loggers to double check what her daughter had been telling her. But the poor woman had hoped she wouldn't have to keep doing it forever. She really wanted to trust her daughter. But I'm not sure anyone could have anticipated what happens in the book. It made me feel the pain of that poor woman all the more.

And Deb--Thanks for the thumbs up on Linux. I'm definitely checking into it. And the gospel according to GMC is burned into my brain. That matrix was a really good idea for someone like me who doesn't plot. Doodling on the back of a napkin is my kind of thing--especially when there are drinks involved. Love ya, babe!

Hey Vivian--Thanks for commenting. This is great! I loved meeting you at our local writers bookfair. That preying on disabled men sounds chilling. Yikes. And if you're debts have a good credit score with them, you're ID theft value still scores on the internet. Be careful out there.

Jordan Dane said...

Hey Kylie--I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear they are teaching internet safety in schools. What a great idea!! It should definitely go hand in hand with computer education. Thanks for the comment. I love it.

Maureen said...

What an interesting topic. My biggest suggestion for kids and the internet is to have your kids share a computer which is in a common area of the house. My daughter used the family computer until she graduated from high school and then we gave her a lap top for a present. Also, talk to your kids about what can happen. I showed the Dateline NBC show to my daughter and son back a few years ago and they were surprised.

Jordan Dane said...

Oh, I love your post, Maureen. Sharing a computer is a great idea too. And it sounds like you kept the lines of communication open to them too. Dateline has been showing some great stuff too, including how criminals dupe people into contributing to their cause by paying for shipping of items. If they steal your credit card info, they order online things, ship it to 3rd world countries where it is resold for cash like in a black market. And insult to injury, they get some idiot to pay for the shipping as if he is a middle man in for the cut that never comes. Apparently, all you have to do is find some schmuck who believes you are a super model starting up her own business. LOL I laugh but it's true. Thanks for your post.

Sarah Grimm said...

Cyber space strikes again. I posted a comment, but it's gone. Anyway...

Hi Jordan! I ordered your book just yesterday, and can't wait to read it.

I use the internet constantly both personally and for business. I also order online all the time.

I have two sons who enjoy online gaming. They know that they are never to share information. Not real names, location, age, school, nothing. Luckily, they have no interest in Myspace or Facebook, so not sharing info is easier.

I am on Myspace, Facebook and blogs, but I never, ever, post photos of my children or share their names. I know some do, but personally, it scares me.

Unknown said...

We use the internet a lot at my house. I think we all are addicted. We were without power for several days last week due to an ice storm. The first thing we all did when the power came back on was turn on our computers. Is this bad or what? Its like the internet is our best friends

Heather said...

Hi Jordan!

I received NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM from a friend who was at last summer's RWA conf., and had great difficulty putting it down. This one sounds right up my alley as well.

It does amaze me how much personal stuff some people post online. Though I have occasionally posted pics of my nieces, I am careful not to mention last names or where they live. In fact, I refere to the youngest only as "The Bug."

One of her teen cousins is on Myspace, and another aunt and I have talked to her about inappropriate photos a couple of times--pics that were much too risque for a 16/17 yr old's blog (she lives with her paternal g'parents). Which
goes to show that even the smart kids aren't always aware of the dangers online, or take them seriously. I believe online activity should be monitored regularly, and that you can never emphasize the dangers too much, no matter how tired of hearing it they might get.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jordan!

Having investigated sexual assaults & child abuse cases for years, as well as actively working undercover internet cases, I know how real these scenarios are, and how conniving and manipulative predators are. Awareness is vital for parents regarding the dangers lurking on the web, so I am thrilled that you tackled this subject in your latest novel. It is also important that adults be careful about their "digital footprint" as well as their own behavior on social networking sites and dating sites.

I enjoyed your blog - thank you for keeping this issue in the forefront!

Detective Kristyn Bernier
co-author CYBER CRIME FIGHTERS:TALES FROM THE TRENCHES

Jordan Dane said...

Thanks, Sarah, Virginia, & Heather for your comments. Great stuff. And I appreciate your support of a new author and for READING. Thanks for swinging by today.

Mariee said...

Hey Jordan

I'm pretty much addicted to the internet. I shop a lot online, read and post blogs, chat etc. I'm always very careful about what kind of information I'm giving out online though. You can never be too careful.

Jordan Dane said...

Hello Kristyn--Great to hear from someone really in the know. I was inspired by a real case and the research was very compelling. To write a thriller, I had to lay out the story and keep the heart racing. And I also made this predator a much bigger faceless conspiracy that I could see really happening out there. It's not what you might think from the book jacket.

I served on a non-profit board "Stand Together Against Rape" and the organization had a hot line. We ran the business end of the agency, but it was hard to forget why that agency needed to exist.

And thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. You made my day...which was already pretty good hanging here with everyone at RWTTD.

And Marie--Thanks so much for posting a comment and for taking time out of your day to join us. I appreciate it.

tetewa said...

I'm on the internet daily, I hate all the spam and e-mails from people that say you've won this or that. Looking forward to your release!

Jordan Dane said...

Thanks for posting a comment tetewa. Don't fall for the "YOU'VE WON WATER FRONT PROPERTY IN AFGHANISTAN."

catslady said...

It's one of those things I try to block out but I know it's out there. My kids are 22 and 25 so hopefully know better. Your book sounds like a can't put down one!

Jordan Dane said...

Hey catslady--you really hope that by the time they get to be 22 & 25, they have common sense when it comes to their safety. LOL Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

Anonymous said...

Jordan, I think it's great that you were able to write your story from the headlines. Having that starting point and then all the research you did must have really gotten the creative juices flowing!

On Internet fraud--I got hit a couple of times in the early days (back in the 90s), but I am very careful now. I never click on an email link. If I want to go there, I go to the "suggested" site myself on IE. I don't even allow the message to appear in my email client for anything related to banks or credit unions. I delete it automatically. If an email starts off "Dear One," forget it! If I don't know the sender and the subject line makes no sense, I don't take a chance. I always use my credit card to purchase - never my debit card because there is no recourse.

If you're online as a business professional, it is sometimes difficult to hold everything close to your chest because you need to show that you are legitimate. I think this is where treading carefully comes in. On places like Facebook, etc., I know I take a second look at people who don't have a profile pix and don't share any information that is checkable. So I want to offer information, but nothing that gives access to my financials or private identification.

Jordan Dane said...

Great comments, Dannye. And the Dear One emails make made laugh too.

Jordan Dane said...

Thanks to everyone who came by today and posted a comment and participated in this discussion. I learned things today too.

Cindy G will be picking the winners and making contact to get a mailing addresses for the winners. Again, thanks so much for your comments today.

And thanks to RWTTD and Cindy Gerard for hosting me today. It's was fun!!!

Misty Williams said...

I know I'm late here as well. Sick kids.

I'm very aware of all these things going on with the internet, which is why I'm not letting my young kids get online. They are wanting a computer and I'm going to have to let them get one to use, but I will make sure I limit use and know everything they are doing online. This is scary.