Yes, we have also heard from several men regarding problems they have had on here with Barracudas (female players). As one person cited at the end of her story, there ARE many good men on line that are being hurt the same way that we are. We received the below letter in regard to a "burned" gal playing mind games with a guy to give men a taste of their own medicine. BUT ... the guy could very well be a sincere, honest man. Two wrongs does not make a right.

"If we were to zero in on the men who we've identified as specific players, we could have no effect on them emotionally ... they don't feel. They're jerks who get off on the pain they cause women. Mind games won't work with these scumbags because I don't think mind games could hurt them. In order to feel pain, they would need to be capable of feeling ... these jerks just aren't capable.
I spoke with a gal in Fab 50's chatroom the other day who was laughing about a man she was stringing along. She was telling him she loved him, that she wanted to meet him and that she was going to set up a meeting with him and then not show up. SHE was the player and thought it was so much fun, I couldn't help myself and I jumped her. She said she felt justified in doing what she was because all men are jerks. I can certainly understand the bitterness, I've been there and done that AND bear the battle scars to show for it, but, on the other hand, I would like to think that, just like there are some really bad men, there are also many more who are sweet, kind, and loving."

Our closing thought:
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
The FB Staff

This story offers yet another "MO"
This guy plays upon human compassion.

I have met many wonderful people on AOL and a few rotten apples. The one rotten apple that stands out in my mind more than any other is the guy who was "terminally ill":
I was pretty new to AOL and was very naive. We started chatting in a room ... general small talk. I was not interested in developing a relationship with him at all. He told me he had a serious illness and was on kidney dialysis, that he was divorced, had 2 kids whom he never saw, had nobody in his life. The only people he saw was the visiting nurse and a boy he hired to run errands for him. Oh yeah...and he was rich (of course, LOL). Being new online, I was too generous with information that I gave him. I gave him my full name, the city where I lived, and where I worked. Since I didn't give him my address or phone number where I worked or lived, I thought I was "safe". WRONG.
After having talked to him only 2 or 3 times on line, he sent me flowers at work. I was shocked. But I had told him where I worked and the information is public record. I thanked him for the flowers, hoping that would be the end of it. No such luck. A few days later, he called me at work, to tell me how ill he was. Again, I was shocked ... I had not given him my number at work. I cut the conversation short. The next day, I received flowers AT HOME from him. Now, I was worried. I had not given him my home address and was amazed that he could find it since I had an unlisted phone number. As it turns out, AOL white pages had me listed from an old listing. But, thank God, I had changed my phone number since that was listed and he didn't have my current number. I sent him an email thanking him for the flowers, but asked him not to send anymore or contact me again. He said ok. But it wasn't long before he started sending me IMs again. This time he was even more ill. He had just gotten a call from his doctor telling him he had testicular cancer. OK .... by this time I didn't have to be hit over the head with a brick. I tried to be non committal ... but sympathetic enough not to be rude ( I didn't want to make him angry). I told him how sorry I was that he was so ill, and though I couldn't really do much to help him I hoped he would recover. He wanted to know if I really wanted to help him. I hesitated, but curiosity got the best of me. "OK, what do you need?", I asked. He replied, "I lost my windows folder, could you send me a copy of yours?" The man is supposedly dying of renal failure and testicular cancer and he wants help with his computer??? That was when I finally blocked him from emails as well as IMs. I haven't heard from him since. I am glad I ended it when I did ... no telling what might have happened. He lives in Utah and would often tell me how sweet I was and that he was so glad that he had someone like me to talk to.

WARNING TO ALL: Re: He replied: "I lost my windows folder, could you send me a copy of yours?" If he did "lose" his "Windows" folder, his computer would NOT work. This was a PLOY to get further personal info: her name/address/phone number, her password(s), and etc. NEVER allow anyone access to your computer. The FB Staff

ENTRY FROM OUR GUESTBOOK:
This is by far the best site that I have come across since being a member of AOL. I have been learning so much this evening by reading all the information that this site has been kind enough to let me. I love the Forties Friends chat rooms and have met so many wonderful friends, both male and female. One night this guy came in the room and was so full of laughter, and he also shared with us that his wife was killed by a drunk driver after they had only been married for three months. We all told him that we were truly sorry about the loss of his wife. He would tell us that he is okay and he has gone on with his life. He frequent the room more and more and began to be a regular in the room so to speak. I had told him that I was a happily married woman and that my husband works out of state at this time. He then started to IM me quite often and would ask for my phone number which I would never in my life give out, I told him we could talk in the room just fine. He had read my profile and liked what he had seen as far as my picture goes. He ended up sending me pics of himself that really were not him, they were pics of movie stars and male models. He would send me emails and tell me he wanted me to move to Cape Cod and leave my husband. My reply was no thanks and that I was very happy with my husband. He then would send me emails with a site to go to that he said is his favorite restaurant and the name of the place is called Window's which is a beautiful place to dine. I then started to receive many pics of his home which he said is in Cape Cod and the pics looked as if they had come out of Better Homes and Garden. He then told me that he is a very well known doctor at Boston Childrens Hospital, said he worked in pediatrics because of his love for children. He also said that he is a neurosurgeon. Thanks to this web site [Unmasking the Players] I checked it out and he does not exist as far as the hospital goes. I did not believe him about the fact that he said he was a doctor because he is continualy on aol and in the chat rooms wooing so many women. He always says he is in his office at the hospital taking care of business. He must have thought that I was naive, I have never heard of hospital computers having access to aol. He then started to send me emails that were so vulgar in which he was describing what he was doing while looking at my pic from my homepage. I was almost sick to my stomach. I emailed him back telling him to never send me another emai. He continued to do so and I felt so violated on my own computer, it was as if this man was raping me visually. I have since deleted my profile as well as my pic. The strange thing is, my pic still keeps popping up. I have also switched my screen name and have my IMs blocked. I know that he still goes into the chat room that I enjoy so much because he will focus on me and not the other 22 people in the room. I will not let this man make me feel paranoid anymore and I will not change my personality in the room because of him. He is what one would call an internet stalker and I do hope with the information that I have posted on this site will help the other women who use the Forties Friends chat rooms. I thank you so much for this wonderful web site, I have learned so much since reading it, it is truly a blessing!
Take care and do not fall into the same trap that I did. Bless the women around the world.

I met a man in April of this year and we became close over the net. He said all the right things to me, was very attentive and loving but not in an obscene way. He was coming to meet me on the East Coast, and then wanted to fly me to Michigan to meet his family. He said he was a widower for two years or so and that he also had cancer of the prostrate. I stood by him during surgery sending him supportive email daily, having my church pray for him, etc. Last week I found our he had done this to five other ladies too; one of which is brokenhearted. We need to expose these men and what they do. I have told other ladies to beware of him. I have his real name, home address, and phone. Also his WIFE'S name. Yes, he IS MARRIED and everything he said is a lie ... NO CANCER. He wanted and enjoyed all the attention he got. Please let others know what goes on. Thank you for the service you provide.

It's interesting to me to ponder the concepts and "new frontier" aspects of online relationships, good and bad. When you think about it, the technology is really very new. I believe we're seeing a little discussed syndrome forming from the stress involved in an online relationship, be it good or bad. I believe many of the same dynamics as meeting in real life come into play when the relationship doesn't work out. The investment of ourselves both in feelings and time is bound to take a deep emotional toll. If we were "dating" these men in the Real World, we wouldn't be talking to them nearly as much as we do when we see them online. An online date consists of talk alone; there aren't movies to go to, dinner to be eaten, no distractions whatsoever. All we do is talk; that's something that seldom happens in the Real World.
We're pioneers in a new frontier, that's for certain. Most of us are equipped offline to contend with relationships whether they are good or bad, but when it comes to dealing with online failed relationships, we seem to take it more to heart....is it because we bare our souls too quickly? Is it because our fertile minds let us romance ourselves into thinking we've been magically saved from a life of longing and need??? I believe one of the keys to protecting ourselves online can be found within us. Eventually I think we'll be seeing a sort of online "etiquette" take place. A "rules of the road" so to speak, but we need to remember until that does happen, we're on our own.

I met Wally (Wallace) in a chat room; he approached me. He is full of nonsense and picks at you and carries on all the time. Claims to have no children but I found out he does. Claims to be widowed (UNTRUE) and a full-blooded Indian. He is active in boy scouts as a leader; I have seen pictures of him in his uniform, that much I do believe. Was in construction but claimed to have gotten disability over a heart problem. He has a scar which could be from a pacemaker, pretty sure it is ... and scars that he claims to be from Vietnam. He claims he got a Purple Heart from diving into water to save downed soldiers in his unit, and he was shot several times doing so. I caught him in a lie about being called in to help on a rescue mission. Caught him in another lie about a boy was run over by a bus and the woman bus driver had murdered him. Checked the hometown paper and they reported a man was driving the bus and it was an accident. He claims to be best friends with the sheriff, going on drug busts, etc. with him...UNTRUE. When I called, the sheriff was more familiar with his wife than with Wally. The sheriff told me Wally was very much married and someone was pulling my leg, and offered me any help and support. Wally has a little dog that he claims will pick up his dirty clothes and puts in the bathroom. Claims the dog drives. Claims when his wife died he sealed her room up and has slept on the sofa ever since. His wife is much older than him and they have children together ... but he claims they are all her children from previous marriages. My psychiatrist has pegged him a pathological liar. He lives in the Hillsboro, North Carolina area. He likes to call you Mama+ his current nickname. He lives on a lake, loves fishing.

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