FTC Fines Online Dating Site For Using 'Fake, Computer-Generated Profiles' To Lure Guys Into Buying Premium Memberships
from the because-guys dept
In the past, we've written about lawsuits involving dating site Match.com and "dating site for married people" Ashley Madison over concerns about fake profiles being set up on the site to lure in paying users. Now it appears the FTC is stepping in on such things, and it's reached a settlement (pdf) with one company, JDI Dating, which runs a bunch of dating sites, for tricking lots of people into buying premium plans based on fake profiles sending messages to "free" users.According to a complaint filed by the FTC, JDI Dating and William Mark Thomas operate a worldwide dating service via 18 websites, including cupidswand.com, flirtcrowd.com and findmelove.com. The defendants offered a free plan that allowed users to set up a profile with personal information and photos. As soon as a new user set up a free profile, he or she began to receive messages that appeared to be from other members living nearby, expressing romantic interest or a desire to meet. However, users were unable to respond to these messages without upgrading to a paid membership. Membership plans cost from $10 to $30 per month, with subscriptions generally ranging from one to 12 months.It's actually somewhat surprising that they even indicated that the profiles were fake with that tiny VC logo. I would have expected that a company doing this sort of thing wouldn't have even bothered.
The messages were almost always from fake, computer-generated profiles – “Virtual Cupids” – created by the defendants, with photos and information designed to closely mimic the profiles of real people. A small “v” encircled by a “C” on the profile page was the only indication that the profiles were fake. Users were not likely to see – much less understand – this icon. The fake profiles and messages caused many users to upgrade to paid subscriptions.
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Filed Under: dating site, fake profiles, fines, ftc
Companies: jdi dating
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...inflaming the passions of Virtual Stupids.
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Arousing our male members' group id,
With bosoms enticing
At premium pricing,
We truly can say "I'm With Stupid".
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Except you, BF.
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Someone was surprised by this?
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~Manti Te'o
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Deniability icon
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Husband: "Hi Honey. What're you doing here? I thought you were going to see an old friend."
Wife: "... I was. What're you doing here? I thought you were working on a house project today."
Husband: "I needed to take a break and I got a message from an old buddy *cough* to meet here..."
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VC logo
They probably thought that using this logo would provide a defence against complaints like the one from the FTC.
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Why is meeting people on a website any different to meeting them at a pub, club, archaeology lecture, etc
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To married male in front of his wife; "Joe, I heard you were sleeping with a married woman" Blushing frustrated Joe: "no where did you hear that?"
"In your wedding vows"
or conversely
"I only sleep with married women, she just happens to be my wife!"
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really surprised?
Then webcams hit yahoo (2000 or so) I was one of 100 cameras available to view in those days, Folks thought that just by owning a camera you got "special" treatment. It was more a nightmare, everyone wanted to see your camera view (back then, everyone had CLOTHES on, some even Dressed for the webcam)
then the begging started, please show some skin (usually the back of the middle finger from any female dumb enough to get infront of a cam) so then when a female DID get on cam and showed skin then recordings started.
The faking started about 20 mins after the fist girl on a non pay site showed skin, Some guys would even dress up RealDolls and use them on cam as real women,(to induce real women to show) sad and funny at the same time.
None of this is new
(I'm a 19 year old buxom girl, I have no cam, mic, keyboard, mouse, monitor,Cpu or harddrive, can I watch you two fuck on cam? I have some Stolen porn pics I'll show ya..1999 meme)
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Not as much as there used to be. I discovered an interesting thing, though. When I tell people that I met my wife through online dating, more often than not they'll respond with their own online dating experiences. I think the perception of a stigma is largely that -- a perception -- and that a very large percentage, if not a majority, of people in the dating pool have used online dating at least some.
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Not surprising
This about it: how do these sites get people to pay and join, rather than staying as a free member? The sites have to tempt people with matches.
When I joined eHarmony years ago, they would send me e-mails saying they found a perfect match for me. I would read through the profile and send an e-mail to the lady, but then I'd get either "That member has closed her profile" or no reply. So if that member closed her profile, why did eHarmony send me an e-mail saying it was a match?
Answer: to make sure I was still getting enough matches to keep me as a paid member.
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Re: Not surprising
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Then we'll see how many sites rush to fix the issue..
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Nice Limerick!
There once was a huge hole named debt
I painstakingly dug bet by bet.
Be it cribbage, pool or chess,
Opponents were wise to invest.
Now there's plenty of space to sublet..
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My thought exactly
Great post back there. people are looking for partner online nowadays. Its just that they have to think and choose whom to deal with. Will have to take action on cyber way.......
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