Safety Tip: Fake Babysitting Ad Ends in Murder

Incident
This past week Michael John Anderson was sentenced to life in prison for killing Katherine Ann Olson. According to an Associated Press article, Anderson "lured" Olson to his house with a fake online ad looking for a babysitter. Olson, 24, answered the ad, which Anderson posted on the web site Craigslist.com. When she arrived at Anderson's house, he shot and killed her. Prosecutors said that Anderson lured Olson to his home because he wanted to know 'what it felt like to kill.'

Analysis
This terrible tragedy underscores the importance of checking out anyone you meet on the Internet, but the same goes for any classified ads in the newspaper or displayed in your local grocery store. The need to be vigilant is especially true for women. When answering an advertisement - whether for a babysitter, a cheap sofa, or a date -- it is important to ask probing questions, check references where possible, and use the buddy system. Bring a friend with you to check out that sofa or babysitting job. A large male friend can be particularly useful for such excursions (plus he can help carry the sofa). And if a potential job involves going to someone's home - for babysitting, mowing the lawn, etc. - you are just as entitled to check out your potential employer as they are to vet you. Ask for names and contact information of people who have worked at their home before - and then call those people and ask about their experiences. Be sure to ask whether they still do work there -- and if not, why not.

For dates, you can be more discreet but still be safe. First, always meet the person in a public place, such as a restaurant or a bar. Don't let ever let someone you don't know pick you up at your home. And remember, no matter how long you may have been communicating with this person online and by phone, this is still somoene you don't know. Nor should you agree to meet the person at their home - even if they argue that it's on the way or claim they have no means of transportation. If they get pushy, take that as a big red flag and forget the date altogether.

Once you choose a public place to meet, tell a few friends where you are going and ask one or two of them to drop by and make sure you are ok. Your date doesn't have to know they are there; your friends can sit and have a drink at the bar and just make sure you look safe. Or you can develop a subtle hand signal to let them know you're okay. And if you're going to change locations, send your friends a text message to let them know where you're going and how long you'll be there. At the end of the date, say goodbye at the restaurant or bar and get in a cab by yourself; or wait until your date has gone before walking to your car. If you feel unsafe for any reason - or if your date gets pushy about driving you home or walking you to your car, that's a big red flag too. Go back into the restaurant and ask them to call you a cab, or ask the bouncer at the bar for help. And you can always call that friend to come pick you up. Just offer to return the favor some day.

Above all, trust your intuition when meeting someone you don't know - whether through a online ad, newspaper classified, or grocery store homemade sign. If any part of the situation feels wrong - even if you can't put your finger on why -- chances are high you're right. Get out of there quickly and safely and don't go back for any reason. If you forget something like your purse or cellphone, you can always ask a friend to go back with you.