This story was first published on January 20, 2012
Outline
Circulating hoax message warns users not to make any contact with a person with the screen-name “DreamWeaverGrey” because he is a suspect in the murders of 56 women that he met through the Internet.
Brief Analysis
The claims in the message are false and reposting will not help anyone. The “warning” is a mutated variant of earlier hoax warnings. The original version may have been very loosely derived from the case of serial killer John E. Robinson. However, Robinson has long since been jailed and remains incarcerated. All later variants of the warning contain completely false information and are totally pointless.
Example
Police Warning to Online Members State police warning for online:
Please read this “very carefully”..then send it out to all the people online that you know. Something like this is nothing to be taken casually; this is something you DO want to pay attention to. … If a person with the screen-name of DreamWeaverGrey contacts you, do not reply. DO not talk to this person; do not answer any of whispers or requests for private in Pogo. Whoever this person may be, he/she is a suspect for murder in the deaths of 56 women (so far) contacted through the Internet. Please send this to all the women on your buddy list and ask them to pass this on, as well. This screen-name has also been seen on Yahoo, AOL, AIM, and Excite so far. This is not a joke! Please send this to men too…just in case! Send to everyone you know! Ladies, this is serious.
Jennifer [Name and contact details removed]
IF WE CAN PASS ON JOKES, SURELY WE CAN PASS ON A WARNING THAT MAY SAVE A LIFE!!!….men, please pass on to all your female friends….
Detailed Analysis
This rather dire-sounding warning message, which is circulating vigorously via social media posts and email, warns Internet users to avoid any contact with a person who uses the “screen-name” DreamWeaverGrey. According to the message, this DreamWeaverGrey is a suspect in the murders of 56 women that he contacted via the Internet. The message requests that people repost the information to as many people as possible so that others will be warned of the supposed danger of contacting DreamWeaverGrey.
However, the claims in the message are utter nonsense and reposting will do nothing whatsoever to help users stay safe online. It is certainly not a “State Police Warning” as claimed. This message is just one more in a long line of such “warnings” that each feature a different screen-name. Another widely circulated version, which has been passed around via email since at least 2005, features the name Monkeyman935. Alternative variants of the hoax warning have used the names “SweetCaliGuy4evr”, “Free_mumia911”, jokerkid613/Ja$on MoNeY, and a number of others.
The very first version of the warning used the name “Slavemaster”. Although already muddled and inaccurate, this first version was partly derived from the crimes of notorious serial killer John E. Robinson. After a lengthy history of violence and murder, Robinson was finally arrested in 2000. He was charged in relation to the murders of several women, some of whom he met via Internet chat rooms. Robinson, going by the nickname “Slavemaster”, used the Internet to entice women into participating in sadomasochistic relationships, several of which ended in homicide. Robinson remains securely incarcerated. Authorities suspect that he was involved in the deaths of a number of women, but the total is almost certainly a lot less than 56 as is claimed in the warning message.
This version includes the name and contact details of an “Education/Information Specialist” for the fire department in Roanoke, Virginia, which at first glance may seem to give the message a degree of credibility. However, back in 2005, the Roanoke Fire Blog published a statement confirming that the message is a hoax and asking that people do not send it on:
Just to let everyone know that this is not true, and it is an Urban Legend. The phone number now has a recording on it to tell everyone of the myth. I see this all the time searching the internet for “Roanoke Fire” and other search phrases. The Fire Department wishes that you do not forward this email as it is a hoax.
Thus, passing on this silly warning will help nobody. Safety warnings must be up-to-date and contain accurate information. Otherwise, they are completely pointless.
It is always wise to verify any would-be warnings or advisories that you receive before passing them on to others.
Original Source : https://www.hoax-slayer.net/hoax-message-warns-users-not-to-contact-dreamweavergrey/