The confrontations are intense, but then Dawson Raymond is a very intense sort of guy.

Large, muscular and sporting a tattoo on his bearded face, 28-year-old Raymond is a far cry from the naive 13-year-old girl his targets are expecting to meet — and when he steps forward to confront Calgary men he claims are predators and pedophiles, their fear is palpable.

“But I haven’t met her or anything like that,” says one ashen-faced target, before quickly reversing his van and leaving the strip mall parking lot.

Raymond, who also goes by Daw Ray, says the man in question had arranged to meet a fictional 13-year-old girl named Amanda outside a fast food restaurant, for a sexual encounter — and he says his phone is full of incriminating texts from the man, asking about her virginity and so on.

Of course, Amanda is really Raymond, who find his targets by posing on dating sites as a young teen girl, who tells potential suitors she lied about her age in the original profile.

“Amanda” then asks if it’s okay if she’s really only 13 years old — and while most admirers will immediately cut off contact, saying it’s not okay or appropriate, Raymond says he’s been disgusted to find out just how many men don’t mind the illegal age gap one bit.

“I had nine guys in a matter of 20 minutes, all wanting to meet up — I mean, What the (expletive) is that about? That’s disgusting,” said Raymond.

And there are plenty of people who agree with Raymond, whose video vigilante campaign has already garnered thousands of views over social media, as he confronts the alleged pedophiles with a friend filming the whole messy affair.

“Keep it up buddy you’re saving kids,” wrote one fan, with another saying, “I think what you are doing is amazing! We need more heroes like you!”

Of course, not everyone will agree — including most police and law enforcement agencies.

While Calgary’s police couldn’t be reached for comment on Sunday, the Sun has learned they are aware of Daw Ray’s work, and want to speak with him.

What they will say isn’t known, but in other cities where similar acts of citizen shaming have occurred, the police message is usually “quit it”.

Not that police aren’t happy to catch the kind of filth who prey on children, but they’ll argue vigilante justice is too fallible and dangerous — and confronting people who very desperately want to remain anonymous is a recipe for disaster.

Also, to shame people over the Internet is a risky venture, when there’s no guarantee the person whose life you are ruining is the right target — and unlike a court of law, the accused has no way of defending themselves.

Raymond’s heart may be in the right place — but how can you be sure the camera is pointing at the right person?

They are questions Raymond himself has considered, ever since he read about Justin Payne, a Mississauga man who is doing the same thing in Ontario to great public acclaim.

“I was inspired when I saw the videos he has made — I just thought, you are amazing dude, and someone should do that here,” said Raymond.

“There are not a lot of people who would do this, but I’m big, and I’m intimidating, so I thought, who better than me?”

Raymond says he has no doubt about the people he has confronted thus far, with a long trail of text messages and other evidence to link the people he films to the crime they were hoping to commit.

He’s also careful never to try and entrap the alleged pedophile, only agreeing to meet after they suggest it first.

“This is all their idea — they lure me out,” said Raymond.

He also plans to share his evidence with police, if they are interested, and he hopes charges follow.

“I’m doing what I can to stop these guys,” said Raymond.

michael.platt@sunmedia.ca

On Twitter: @SUNMichaelPlatt