Online dating sites sued for fraud

Online dating sites sued for fraud

The next time you visit any 'match-making' website searching for that 'perfect date', think twice before making a choice. There is a pretty good chance you end up being fooled. Yes, it's true. Two renowned online dating sites are being sued for indulging in spurious tactics to lure customers.

One of the sites under the hammer is Match.com, who proclaim to be the 'largest online dating site' in the world. According to a Los Angeles lawsuit, the site sends bogus e-mail to clients, and practices 'date bait'-which involves sending the company employees itself on a date with the clients.

The lawsuit says that the site has secretly hired people who keeps sending in attractive profiles and as a result, end up attending close to 100 dates per month. Explaining the methodology used, the suit claims that the employees keeps a watchful eye on the clients' subscriptions by spying on their e-mails.

As their subscription draws to a close, the profile that perfectly matches these clients spring up. Describing this site's approach as the dirty secret to their hypocrite popularity, the suit gave a clear warning to all online dating fans that "not everyone you date through Match.com is just another Match.com member."

Meanwhile, Match.com termed the allegations as baseless and vowed to put up a strong defense. A site spokeswoman informed that 12 per cent of marriages last year were courtesy online dating sites and further pointed out that Match.com's membership itself had escalated by 19 percent during the period.

Approximately 15 million people are said to have gained satisfaction through Match.com by shelling out $30 a month.

The second site to face the music is one of the biggies of the net-Yahoo. A lawsuit filed in San Jose, California has charged Yahoo of uploading fake customer profiles to demonstrate that they have more customers than they actually do.

In a separate incident relating to dating web sites, the New York-based Great Expectations dating service was ordered by a judge to pay back money to two women who did not get a single date despite paying $1,000 for a six-month subscription. Poking fun at the whole concept of online dating after such a bad experience, one of the women satirically commented that she will henceforth prefer meeting people at bus stops and elevators.

Online dating has turned into a giant money making enterprise of late. In the US, web sites offering dating services rake in a whopping $250m per year.