RESEARCHERS SAY Internet-based paedophiles are often very good at communicating with children.

These predators, researchers say, hide behind the anonymity of the Internet and are capable of assuming any identity which may make the unsuspecting victim feel comfortable. Once such comfort is attained, the predator then lures the victim into meeting him. This is the stage where parents' greatest fears are often realised.

Detective Michael Sullivan, an American policeman, has documented what he sees as the predator's pattern of attack. In email transcripts from 1996-1997, gathered by the Illinois Internet Child Exploitation Unit, Mr. Sullivan wrote: "First, they want to know your age and what you look like - height, weight, and bra size if [you're] a girl.

Explicit conversations

Then they want you to describe your underwear. From there, they want to know if [you're] a virgin and the conversations become more explicit. The pattern intensifies when the child predator asks for photographs of the child or begins to send photos via email showing various forms of pornography, usually involving child pornography or cartoon characters familiar to the child which have been altered to depict sexual activity.

When the child predator thinks the time is right, he will suggest a face-to-face meeting.

One 16-year-old girl, who met a guy online and exchanged numbers, says she regrets doing so.

"He calls me so often, I am beginning to feel I am being stalked ... but I was feeling down when I did it (gave him the number)," she tells The Sunday Gleaner.

But how do youngsters get into such potentially comprising positions in the first place? The Sunday Gleaner roamed the Internet and made a of couple of fascinating stops. In fact, it is very amazing how easy it is to hide one's identity on the Internet. All that is needed is an email address, which is like an identification card. Thereafter, you just complete a form, which is by no means foolproof; then chat rooms are opened to you.

Posing as a depressed 14-year-old teenage girl, The Sunday Gleaner news team was able to get a snapshot view as to how persons may fall prey.

Within minutes of logging on to some popular social-network websites, persons were willing to comfort the play-acting depressed 14-year-old teen girl.

"Where u at?" enquired one male.

"Kingston," I replied.

"I am in Kingston too ..." he continued.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Chris ... can I call U?" he added.

"For what purpose?" I replied.

"I can help cure ur depression. I would like to

take you somewhere," he continued.

"R U there?"

"Busy?"

The extremely slow response may have annoyed Chris and he left the room, allowing The Sunday Gleaner to peruse happenings in other chat rooms.

Some communities were branded as sex-only forums, some as friendship and sports sites and some downright obscene. On a Jamaican website one forum stated clearly that it was for gay and bisexual boys under age 17.