I'm another who doesn't use my last name. I've never had a problem with just my first name, though, and I've been on other boards.

Oh I have to use that football quote when August comes around!

Delia-

Love the quote! Love Phyllis Diller! She and I have the same hometown. Must have been something in the water to make us both so irreverent!

As to using your real name or not, I think it all depends with what you feel comfortable. I use my first name here and on the other four quilt boards I belong to. Of couse, three of them are Bible-based, so I would expect not to have any trouble there! LOL I use my first name on the Coast Guard board I belong to, but I never revel anything about my son nor do many of the other members. As good as the moderators are there, and here, and on the other fourms, trolls do occasionally get through. Being a military board, that could be a problem- loose lips sink ships, and all.

That being said, I think a healthy dose of caution, and even a dose of paranoia, healthy or not, is nothing to be ashamed about. About 18 months ago, someone "punked" my son by posting a false MySpace page in his name. They made several inappropriate racial comments, attributed them to me and posted my name and phone number.

It took not only the local police, but the FBI, the Center for Exploited Children, and my son in Law Enforcement in the USCG over a month to get the site taken down. In the meantime, I recieved countless obscene and threatening phone calls.

I withdrew from all he swaps and exchanges I was planning to participate in because I was too traumatized to give my personal info out, even to my friends here. So I say, HapEWmN, when you are comfortable, you'll know. We'll have a great time getting to know each other. In the meantime, I am going to call you Ralph, after the lady handyman from Green Acres. I just cannot manage all those lower and upper case letters! LOL

Well I don't know about problems, I used my Betty2Max until I became acquainted with everyone here. In other places I have other names that I go by. We all have to be careful and I urge everyone to do so.

I would never put my address in a public forum that's why we use PM's to do that! No one can get into a PM that has not be included in that PM.

But it's best to be careful, of course we can't swap without divulging our information.

But here I trust it to be kept private.
Betty

I've been a major chatter for years...like almost 10? I've been on several different boards over the years from pets, to the Good Morning America boards, to gardening, crafters...Carol Duvall's board...gaming, and even one in Seattle, but can't remember what it was called. None of these places were lonely hearts clubs...just happy yakkers like us.

I have NEVER put my first name out there. In several exchanges you have to take that leap of faith, but as it was stated...ALWAYS IN A PM.

Okay one of my Machine Embroidery groups posted this link for a pdf file on Internet Safety!

http://ask-leo.com/ebook/InternetSafety.pdf

Thought I would share it! Haven't look at it yet but hey couldn't hurt to explore it.

Betty

I've been on many various boards for years and had no problem using my first name. Don't use the last name, though.

The first board I joined (many years ago) was a cooking/supper club BB. Being inexperienced & naive I used my real name without thinking. Luckily, nothing bad has happened to me, though other members on that board have commented about it. Since then, when I join a new board I use the name of my pet rabbit (assuming the name is available) as I have here. She doesn't seem to mind too much, and she's never had any identity problems.

On other forums I use my real first name and have had no problem. But when joined here they wouldn't let me use my name. So I do craft shows and my name there is Grandma "J" so that is what I use here. jessie