This morning a message popped up in my Gmail window, saying that someone named sweetiesharxo1@aol.com wanted to chat with me, and asking if I would grant permission for this. Feeling benevolent, I did so. This is a transcript of our conversation:
sweetiesharxo1: hey there
Sent at 10:49 AM on Tuesday
me: Hello, mysterious person named sweetiesharxo1!
sweetiesharxo1: hey i’ve been sitting around sooo bored and figured i’d say hii.. hope i didn’t bother u
me: I do agree that sharks are pretty sweet, though
sweetiesharxo1: there is like no one around to talk to anymore.. 20/female here how bout u??
me: Well, sweet as in awesome, not so much sweet as in kind and generous
What is your favorite thing about sharks?
sweetiesharxo1: oh cool so what’s up?
me: Not much. Just drinking coffee, thinking about sharks. You?
sweetiesharxo1: its so boring on here now i can’t stand it
me: You can do what I always do when I am bored — make up a story about a shark. Or a poem. Whichever works better for you.
sweetiesharxo1: weIIII l have an idea if u wanna have sum fun!!!! i was gonna get on my cam and “play around” a lil u should cumm join ;)
i found this really fun sitethat is just like facebook but w/o the stupid trolls… wanna check it out???
me: Are there sharks?
sweetiesharxo1: it only takes asecond to signup and it’s 100% free 2!! URL redacted just click the ‘join FREE” at the top of thepage
once u signup u’ll be allgood and u can join my private chat and tell me what 2 do ;-)
me: If not sharks, are there at least manatees? Manta rays? Sea lions?
sweetiesharxo1: yeah you do need a cc of sum kind but they wiII not charge u a thing!!!!!!
me: Do they accept payment in sand dollars?
sweetiesharxo1: i can not wait this is going to be so much fun… wait till u see what i’m wearing right now lol i think u’ll like it;-)
me: Ooh, is it a shark-themed jumpsuit and a shark fin hat? If so, we’re twins!
sweetiesharxo1: are u in babe??? i’m going to go get some “toys” but ill brb and hopefully u’ll be in when i get back hurry uppp
me: I get the impression you don’t really think sharks are sweet…
Sent at 10:56 AM on Tuesday
You have blocked sweetiesharxo1. You can no longer see each other online or chat together.
Is this a thing spammers do now? Use bots to initiate chats with random people? What a brave new world that hath such spammers in it!
February 3, 2012 at 11:08 pm
I got the same IM’s.
me: whodis
sweetiesharxo1: hey you
hey i’ve been sitting around sooo bored and figured i’d say helllo… hope i didn’t bother u
there is like no one online to talk to anymore.. 25/female here how bout u???
me: where are you from?
sweetiesharxo1: i’m from your dreams baby
Sent at 8:45 PM on Friday
me: most of my dreams are about swimming with manta rays
sweetiesharxo1: ah ok so whatcha up to?
Sent at 8:46 PM on Friday
me: watching wipeout and working on a research paper about the increasing population of jellyfish
sweetiesharxo1: it’s so boring on here now i can’t stand it
Sent at 8:50 PM on Friday
me: there’s actually a lot of very interesting stuff on the internet
sweetiesharxo1: well l have an idea if u wanna have sum fun!!!! i was gonna get on my cam and “relax” a lil u should cum join
i joined this sweet sitethat is just like f.b. but w/o the annoying kids… wanna see??
Sent at 8:54 PM on Friday
me: is it about aquatic specimens?
sweetiesharxo1: it only takes asecond to signup and it’s 100% free 2!!! http://twurl.nl/cdytpo just click the “join FREE’ at the top of thepage
once u signup u’ll be allgood and you can join my private chat and tell me what 2 do
me: we have private chat here
sweetiesharxo1: yea you do need a c.c of sum kind but they wiII Not charge u a penny!!!!!
me: i have paypal
and seashells
sweetiesharxo1: i can’t wait this is going to be soo much fun.. wait till u see what i’m wearing right now lol i think u’ll like it;)
me: are you dressed like a jellyfish?
sweetiesharxo1: are u in hun??? i’m going to go get some “toys” but ill brb and hopefully u’ll be in when i get back hurry uppp
Sent at 9:00 PM on Friday
You have blocked sweetiesharxo1. You can no longer see each other online or chat together. Unblock sweetiesharxo1