The term “human bait” gets thrown around a lot these days. But unlike the earlier definition of the expression, which involved a man called Brummy fighting a dog named Physic, it’s now associated with adult perverts getting their creepy comeuppance. “Decoy” is a kinder spin on the phrase, and one that was adapted for a Reddit Ask Me Anything yesterday: “I’m Casey, the female decoy from To Catch a Predator NJ/KY. AMA!”
In 2007, Casey was an underage damsel in distress employed by the Chris Hansen-hosted series. Her job was to entice very-much-of-age Internet knights to come over to “her house” as part of an elaborate sting set up by the Predator crew. It worked. According to Casey, “39 guys” showed up during her two episodes, set in Ocean County, New Jersey (home of the nation’s highest playground-to-child ratio), and Bowling Green, Kentucky. Here’s what else she had to say about her experience. SPOILER: those brownies don’t look homemade.
Did anyone show up at the door who wasn’t a pedophile and was just trying to meet Chris Hansen?
No, but one guy shook his hand and said it was nice to meet him and that he was an avid watcher of the show.
Earlier versions of To Catch a Predator included the suspect entering the house, getting a quick talking-to by Chris Hansen, and the suspect getting arrested. Now, the decoy girls have conversations with predators, asking them very leading questions only for the purpose of filming. Do you also find this superfluous and potentially dangerous for you? This is the reason I stopped watching TCAP.
Yes earlier episodes they would get the predators in the house and leave. I naively did not know this and no one told me what I was supposed to do. The first guy came and they just said “go!” I thought I was supposed to have a full on conversation with them. After that, they loved the idea and told me to keep doing it.
What’s the weirdest conversation you’ve ever had with a predator?
A man old enough to be my grandpa was verbally “teaching” me how to get him off
Don’t you think predators will catch on by now and realize that you’re the decoy? I can’t imagine the show can go on for much longer with all the exposure.
I had the same thoughts when they asked me to go to Kentucky after NJ had aired. They were not concerned and they were right. I did straighten my hair which changed my look slightly. Also, during the online chats they were using pictures of young girls that didn’t even look remotely close to me for the different screen names they were talking to these guys with and I would be at the door and they wouldn’t even bat an eye. Some of them questioned it but I would tell them I dyed my hair and they were willing to believe anything I said.
I’m sure there is a lot of footage that doesn’t make it to air. What is the most memorable/weirdest thing that didn’t make the show?
TV aired two guys coming at once in NJ- the car salesman and the guy who brought Mc Donald’s but little did they mention the third guy who came at the same who they held outside.
what was the ratio of men who took the bait vs men you spoke to? like, if you spoke to 100 guys how many of them actually took the bait and went to the house? was it like a 1 in 100 type thing, or like a 50 in 100?
I am not exactly sure but 39 guys between KY and NJ actually came. There were definitely at least that amount that were spoken to via online that never came to the house whether it was because they got scared or just never finished the conversation that may have been going on for 2-3 days.
And here’s a clip from one of her episodes.
Man, 2007 was so quaint. Now all the pedophiles hang out on Internet, writing about underage girls and boys in the comments section of YouTube videos. We really don’t talk anymore, do we?
