CHANNEL4 – Nov 1 – Global Personals is one of the UK's largest internet dating companies. Headquartered in Windsor it makes £40M a year, has 130 staff and runs 7,500 dating sites. Two former employees have described how the company duped daters into parting with their cash. Ryan Pitcher and Tom (not his real name) were recruited to join Global Personals to set up and run fake profiles on the company's network of sites. The team members would scour social networks and steal people's photos to use on their fake profiles. Each team member would be running as many as 15 different personalities. In a statement, Global Personals said: "Global Personals was one of the first online dating companies to stop using fake profiles. For almost three years we have actively encouraged other online dating businesses to also stop this practice." The success of the company's pseudo team means it has built up a database of 2.2m people. Trading Standards in Windsor said it has had "ongoing dealings" with Global Personals regarding the company's alleged use of fake profiles.
Ross Williams states: …We appreciate the acknowledgement that Global Personals has received for being one of the only online dating businesses not to be carrying out this practice. We continue to campaign against pseudo profiles and ask the rest of the industry to stop this practice.
34 thoughts on “UK Global Personals Allegedly Used Fake Profiles”
Global Personals does not use pseudo profiles. I think the industry is aware of this and the industry knows which companies still rely on pseudo profiles.
Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles and is proud of the fact that it was one of the first operators to abolish their use, almost three years ago. We welcome the recent media interest in pseudo profiles and appreciate the acknowledgement that Global Personals has received for being one of the only online dating businesses not to be carrying out this practice. We continue to campaign against pseudo profiles and ask the rest of the industry to stop this practice.
Global Personals does not use pseudo profiles. I think the industry is aware of this and the industry knows which companies still rely on pseudo profiles.
Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles and is proud of the fact that it was one of the first operators to abolish their use, almost three years ago. We welcome the recent media interest in pseudo profiles and appreciate the acknowledgement that Global Personals has received for being one of the only online dating businesses not to be carrying out this practice. We continue to campaign against pseudo profiles and ask the rest of the industry to stop this practice.
Do search online on review sites on companies who create dating scam and you will see names to yourself. Dating Factory is proud of NEVER to be on the list. In fact when we acquire companies and integrate databases – the first thing we do is to verify all profiles using our moderation team.
Do search online on review sites on companies who create dating scam and you will see names to yourself. Dating Factory is proud of NEVER to be on the list. In fact when we acquire companies and integrate databases – the first thing we do is to verify all profiles using our moderation team.
Will be interesting to see how this plays out in various legal systems. Some of what is described here are criminal offenses in the US. The only way this kind of behavior is going to get stamped out in the UK is if someone is made an example of.
Will be interesting to see how this plays out in various legal systems. Some of what is described here are criminal offenses in the US. The only way this kind of behavior is going to get stamped out in the UK is if someone is made an example of.
The first company to stop using fake profiles? All the succesful companies I know of here in Denmark never started. The only sites doing it here is all the big international sites trying to get traction locally.
The first company to stop using fake profiles? All the succesful companies I know of here in Denmark never started. The only sites doing it here is all the big international sites trying to get traction locally.
It is unacceptable to defend an appalling and deceitful practice by pointing the finger at others who have never indulged in them. Most operators in the UK have never contemplated creating profiles or stimulating dating activity and engagement in an artificial manner. Some have lost business because they wouldn’t and the industry as a whole suffers when customers of dating sites have to endure bad experiences which puts them off all Internet dating.
Most of us in the Uk have signed up to a new code under the auspices of the Association of Business Introduction Agencies, ABIA.org.uk. Other UK operators who can meet the code are invited to do so. http://www.abia.org.uk/advice/abia-online-code-of-practice
It is unacceptable to defend an appalling and deceitful practice by pointing the finger at others who have never indulged in them. Most operators in the UK have never contemplated creating profiles or stimulating dating activity and engagement in an artificial manner. Some have lost business because they wouldn’t and the industry as a whole suffers when customers of dating sites have to endure bad experiences which puts them off all Internet dating.
Most of us in the Uk have signed up to a new code under the auspices of the Association of Business Introduction Agencies, ABIA.org.uk. Other UK operators who can meet the code are invited to do so. http://www.abia.org.uk/advice/abia-online-code-of-practice
As a former WLD partner (hence wanting to stay anonymous) I can say in Ross defence I don’t think they do this any more – if they stopped doing it 2 years ago it fits in with when revenues took a sudden drop and when they made a huge deal out of stopping “sammers” !!
But Ross your saying you DID do it up to 2010? This is a disgusting. How many millions before 2010 did you make. if 50% of your sales were from this, then thats got to be well over £15M and thats looking at the complete bottomw end.
As a former white label partner I always found advertising too expensive, surely prices were driven up by this practise by falsely increasing member values and therefore competition between your partners?
I dont know what an independent audit or investigation can show because i am sure you covered your tracks and it must be almost impossible to prove which memebrs are real or not in any trail of emails and upgrades you do have. But you MUST be made an example of especially if others are doing it. You’ve always preached about how good you and white label dating are but this just highlights what a dirty and greedy business man you actually are.Surely if others were doing it then it was a real opportuntiy for you to be different and better than the rest from day 1. You only made a big deal of this when the heat was on your company and you decided to stop!
I hope enough of your employees and memebers speak up about this to make it stick.
As a former WLD partner (hence wanting to stay anonymous) I can say in Ross defence I don’t think they do this any more – if they stopped doing it 2 years ago it fits in with when revenues took a sudden drop and when they made a huge deal out of stopping “sammers” !!
But Ross your saying you DID do it up to 2010? This is a disgusting. How many millions before 2010 did you make. if 50% of your sales were from this, then thats got to be well over £15M and thats looking at the complete bottomw end.
As a former white label partner I always found advertising too expensive, surely prices were driven up by this practise by falsely increasing member values and therefore competition between your partners?
I dont know what an independent audit or investigation can show because i am sure you covered your tracks and it must be almost impossible to prove which memebrs are real or not in any trail of emails and upgrades you do have. But you MUST be made an example of especially if others are doing it. You’ve always preached about how good you and white label dating are but this just highlights what a dirty and greedy business man you actually are.Surely if others were doing it then it was a real opportuntiy for you to be different and better than the rest from day 1. You only made a big deal of this when the heat was on your company and you decided to stop!
I hope enough of your employees and memebers speak up about this to make it stick.
Dear Mark (Brooks) – I would dare say you may well be the world’s pre-eminent online dating journalist/commentator and OPW is indeed a great site.
However, I don’t see how you can “know” Global are now a “Model” company. You may well “believe” or possibly just “hope” that they are OK now-a-days but this is not the same as saying you “know” this. Would you therefore care to reconsider, or at least qualify, your present endorsement of them?
Given that they have not denied to what is a serious fraud under the UK Fraud Act 2006 and indeed would (also) be classed as “Conspiracy to Defraud” could we enquire what your renewed belief in them is based on? The word of Ross Williams?
Surely it is simply far lower cost and therefore even more profitable for Ross to generate fake messages and/or profiles by employing one unethical programmer to write clever code rather than have a “Boiler Room” fraud involving fifteen or so people doing the grunt work manually.
…and your evidence that they are not doing precisely that is …?
Dear Mark (Brooks) – I would dare say you may well be the world’s pre-eminent online dating journalist/commentator and OPW is indeed a great site.
However, I don’t see how you can “know” Global are now a “Model” company. You may well “believe” or possibly just “hope” that they are OK now-a-days but this is not the same as saying you “know” this. Would you therefore care to reconsider, or at least qualify, your present endorsement of them?
Given that they have not denied to what is a serious fraud under the UK Fraud Act 2006 and indeed would (also) be classed as “Conspiracy to Defraud” could we enquire what your renewed belief in them is based on? The word of Ross Williams?
Surely it is simply far lower cost and therefore even more profitable for Ross to generate fake messages and/or profiles by employing one unethical programmer to write clever code rather than have a “Boiler Room” fraud involving fifteen or so people doing the grunt work manually.
…and your evidence that they are not doing precisely that is …?
So glad that this deceit is been uncovered, but How ever , I don’t see this practice dying down soon, I believed even some start up social networking sites used this practice. All said, they deserved to be prosecuted.
So glad that this deceit is been uncovered, but How ever , I don’t see this practice dying down soon, I believed even some start up social networking sites used this practice. All said, they deserved to be prosecuted.
It is amazing how many different types of scammers there are in this industry; all together including scam operations, individual/team romance scammers, etc, their revenue probably dwarfs the legitimate revenue in the industry. Where else in modern society is there such inefficiency in any industry? If on average members are actually sending more to scammers, than they pay as fees to legitimate sites, would it actually make sense to have sites that charge much higher fees than most currently do, but provide higher service levels such as regular phone contact from customer service staff? This is something we would like to explore, although thus far as a rapidly growing niche site we are still offering free 800 toll free advice to free, and upgraded members.
It is amazing how many different types of scammers there are in this industry; all together including scam operations, individual/team romance scammers, etc, their revenue probably dwarfs the legitimate revenue in the industry. Where else in modern society is there such inefficiency in any industry? If on average members are actually sending more to scammers, than they pay as fees to legitimate sites, would it actually make sense to have sites that charge much higher fees than most currently do, but provide higher service levels such as regular phone contact from customer service staff? This is something we would like to explore, although thus far as a rapidly growing niche site we are still offering free 800 toll free advice to free, and upgraded members.
It is interesting to read the comments made here, in particular from WLD Partner and Seamus….
I couldn’t really have put it better myself. Lets face some facts here. Global Personals (Ross Williams) by saying that they stopped using fake profiles, ARE admitting that they used them. Any dating site business
that uses/has used fake profiles to send messages to innocent (real) users of such sites, in order to entice them into paying subscription fees, or by deliberately bombarding users with messages around the time of the membership
renewal in order to trick them into renewing their membership, is effectively committing a criminal offence, “conspiracy to defraud”, “fraud”, “obtaining money by deception” or whatever other offences exist for this type of behaviour.
“Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles”, well if Mr Williams condemns their use, he should NEVER have implemented them in the first place, but then he should never have implemented them in the first place ANYWAY.
Big question on my mind is, if Mr Williams, fake profiles had never been found out, would you still be using them????
Personally I would like to see Ross Williams stripped of all his immoral earnings and possibly sent to prison, but then I would apply that to any other business that has adopted the same practice(s).
WLD Partner have put it perfectly, especially in their penultimate paragraph.
I have seen several investigative programmes on the tv about the use of fake profiles, and I noticed that the response from some of the dating businesses seems to be shifting the blame onto scammers.
Now, I am aware that there will be people who do create fake profiles deliberately to entice innocent users to part with their cash. The usual stories about needing money for ill relatives or needing money for travel etc. It is possible that some of these profiles could be being created by some of the dating site staff. However, what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the
membership fee, interest tails off?? I’m sorry, but to me this stinks of malpractice on behalf of the dating businesses. This is either dating sites themselves doing this, or scammers who are being paid by dating sites to do this, otherwise, why
would this happen????
It is interesting to read the comments made here, in particular from WLD Partner and Seamus….
I couldn’t really have put it better myself. Lets face some facts here. Global Personals (Ross Williams) by saying that they stopped using fake profiles, ARE admitting that they used them. Any dating site business
that uses/has used fake profiles to send messages to innocent (real) users of such sites, in order to entice them into paying subscription fees, or by deliberately bombarding users with messages around the time of the membership
renewal in order to trick them into renewing their membership, is effectively committing a criminal offence, “conspiracy to defraud”, “fraud”, “obtaining money by deception” or whatever other offences exist for this type of behaviour.
“Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles”, well if Mr Williams condemns their use, he should NEVER have implemented them in the first place, but then he should never have implemented them in the first place ANYWAY.
Big question on my mind is, if Mr Williams, fake profiles had never been found out, would you still be using them????
Personally I would like to see Ross Williams stripped of all his immoral earnings and possibly sent to prison, but then I would apply that to any other business that has adopted the same practice(s).
WLD Partner have put it perfectly, especially in their penultimate paragraph.
I have seen several investigative programmes on the tv about the use of fake profiles, and I noticed that the response from some of the dating businesses seems to be shifting the blame onto scammers.
Now, I am aware that there will be people who do create fake profiles deliberately to entice innocent users to part with their cash. The usual stories about needing money for ill relatives or needing money for travel etc. It is possible that some of these profiles could be being created by some of the dating site staff. However, what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the
membership fee, interest tails off?? I’m sorry, but to me this stinks of malpractice on behalf of the dating businesses. This is either dating sites themselves doing this, or scammers who are being paid by dating sites to do this, otherwise, why
would this happen????
Anon,
Yes, for non-international dating it is now becoming more commonplace to “allow” scammers to do the “motivating” instead of hiring internal or external “motivation teams”. It’s basically impossible to pinpoint any crime when doing this, because all the executive has to do is maintain an inadequate profile-review staff, and the scammers with fake (and compelling) pictures/descriptions/messages will go to work getting singles to upgrade.
There are still some domestic dating sites and quite a few international sites which do employ “motivators.” Not a day goes by when our customer service doesn’t hear from a man who has been defrauded by an international dating site he previously used.
You also asked “what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the membership fee, interest tails off?” In a sense, the marketplace forces websites that want to be huge to try to make “optimizations” like this that allow them to earn as much as possible from each user (we don’t do this particular thing and maybe that’s part of what makes it difficult for us to pay the price per lead that some of our competitors can apparently afford). I don’t think this particular thing could be called illegal, however, even where it is happening.
Anon,
Yes, for non-international dating it is now becoming more commonplace to “allow” scammers to do the “motivating” instead of hiring internal or external “motivation teams”. It’s basically impossible to pinpoint any crime when doing this, because all the executive has to do is maintain an inadequate profile-review staff, and the scammers with fake (and compelling) pictures/descriptions/messages will go to work getting singles to upgrade.
There are still some domestic dating sites and quite a few international sites which do employ “motivators.” Not a day goes by when our customer service doesn’t hear from a man who has been defrauded by an international dating site he previously used.
You also asked “what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the membership fee, interest tails off?” In a sense, the marketplace forces websites that want to be huge to try to make “optimizations” like this that allow them to earn as much as possible from each user (we don’t do this particular thing and maybe that’s part of what makes it difficult for us to pay the price per lead that some of our competitors can apparently afford). I don’t think this particular thing could be called illegal, however, even where it is happening.
Talk of crime and fraud is misplaced. most sites who use this technique cover themselves through their terms and conditions, providing an entertainment service. eg, look at section 5A of Avid’s terms and conditions. https://www.ashleymadison.com/app/public/tandc.p?c=24
users are getting wise to this. just look at forums discussing these sites.
Talk of crime and fraud is misplaced. most sites who use this technique cover themselves through their terms and conditions, providing an entertainment service. eg, look at section 5A of Avid’s terms and conditions. https://www.ashleymadison.com/app/public/tandc.p?c=24
users are getting wise to this. just look at forums discussing these sites.
I’m getting messages from fakes on your sites every day. Despite paying an exhorbitant fee, have not received one genuine message yet. Incredible how all these messages, and the profiles (or lack of them) are almost identical every time. I stupidly followed up the first one I received, but it was not long before ‘she’ asked me to send money. It is obvious to everyone who uses these sites that the fake profiles and messages pour out continually. The originators don’t even try to do anything to make them look genuine!
I’m getting messages from fakes on your sites every day. Despite paying an exhorbitant fee, have not received one genuine message yet. Incredible how all these messages, and the profiles (or lack of them) are almost identical every time. I stupidly followed up the first one I received, but it was not long before ‘she’ asked me to send money. It is obvious to everyone who uses these sites that the fake profiles and messages pour out continually. The originators don’t even try to do anything to make them look genuine!
Having just found this feed in regards to Global Personals I thought I would just throw my two-penny-worth in.
I have just cancelled my account with one of their many ‘dating’ sites after sending in numerous complaints in regards to disingenuous profiles. I reported numerous obviously fake profiles, sometimes 2 or 3 times before any action was taken. There were also more than a few ‘suspect’ profiles and in the end, that was all I could see.
And although they may have stopped the widespread use of ‘pseudo’ entertainment profiles- (although I’m not completely satisfied about that)they do still employ other tactics.
The ‘fake’ viewing of profiles. I have actually been sat with a woman friend having a coffee when she apparently ‘Viewed’ my profile. I called site immediately and they made some story (site running slow???) that she did and we was wrong.
Also the ‘fake’ winks sent out by ‘women’ to make a man think they are interested and promote ‘chat’. any messages sent would always be ignored by the female profile.
Then there’s the ‘Icebreaker’. Site say’s they do not use any automated messaging. But all too often I would read a diary entry or someone’s profile stating “I did not send out the message titled *?!?*”
(Admittedly, some women used the icebreaker function. But site would send out a message on behalf of newcomers without their knowledge.)
But all too often, when trying to reply to an icebreaker you would find yourself ‘filtered’ out.
Another tactic they use, the lack of a decent proper verification system, which means pretty much anyone can sign up as a woman providing they have an active e-mail address. Because the women’s side was free it is open to all kinds of abuse. E.G, men setting up fake female accounts! (I know?)
But this also drew in the ‘scammers and spammers’. At the time I left I was getting in excess of 100 ‘winks’ from blank profiles a day. So infuriating receiving all these winks when no ‘genuine(?)’ profiles bothered reading or responding to messages sent.
Also, site uses old dormant unused profiles to make themselves seem more popular. when I mentioned this to the admin staff I was told that they are ‘people I may be interested in’. Why would I be interested in messaging a dormant profile when active profiles do not respond?
Also the filtering system. Great. If you showed on the profile what, if any filters are set. Nothing worse than spending time writing a polite articulate intro’ message only for it to be bounced back unread due to filters!!! If I had of known I was too old, too young I would not have spent my time messaging that profile. (Also, it would be interesting to see who has filters set to allow only people who are 119-120 living within 5miles?)
At my time of leaving site, after 6months I had sent out over 1500 polite intro’ messages (mostly not even read by recipient)and managed one coffee/lunch meet.
Not Quite the all singing all dancing ‘Greatest’ dating site they claim to be?
Global Personal have left me a lot poorer and very jaded with online dating!
Having just found this feed in regards to Global Personals I thought I would just throw my two-penny-worth in.
I have just cancelled my account with one of their many ‘dating’ sites after sending in numerous complaints in regards to disingenuous profiles. I reported numerous obviously fake profiles, sometimes 2 or 3 times before any action was taken. There were also more than a few ‘suspect’ profiles and in the end, that was all I could see.
And although they may have stopped the widespread use of ‘pseudo’ entertainment profiles- (although I’m not completely satisfied about that)they do still employ other tactics.
The ‘fake’ viewing of profiles. I have actually been sat with a woman friend having a coffee when she apparently ‘Viewed’ my profile. I called site immediately and they made some story (site running slow???) that she did and we was wrong.
Also the ‘fake’ winks sent out by ‘women’ to make a man think they are interested and promote ‘chat’. any messages sent would always be ignored by the female profile.
Then there’s the ‘Icebreaker’. Site say’s they do not use any automated messaging. But all too often I would read a diary entry or someone’s profile stating “I did not send out the message titled *?!?*”
(Admittedly, some women used the icebreaker function. But site would send out a message on behalf of newcomers without their knowledge.)
But all too often, when trying to reply to an icebreaker you would find yourself ‘filtered’ out.
Another tactic they use, the lack of a decent proper verification system, which means pretty much anyone can sign up as a woman providing they have an active e-mail address. Because the women’s side was free it is open to all kinds of abuse. E.G, men setting up fake female accounts! (I know?)
But this also drew in the ‘scammers and spammers’. At the time I left I was getting in excess of 100 ‘winks’ from blank profiles a day. So infuriating receiving all these winks when no ‘genuine(?)’ profiles bothered reading or responding to messages sent.
Also, site uses old dormant unused profiles to make themselves seem more popular. when I mentioned this to the admin staff I was told that they are ‘people I may be interested in’. Why would I be interested in messaging a dormant profile when active profiles do not respond?
Also the filtering system. Great. If you showed on the profile what, if any filters are set. Nothing worse than spending time writing a polite articulate intro’ message only for it to be bounced back unread due to filters!!! If I had of known I was too old, too young I would not have spent my time messaging that profile. (Also, it would be interesting to see who has filters set to allow only people who are 119-120 living within 5miles?)
At my time of leaving site, after 6months I had sent out over 1500 polite intro’ messages (mostly not even read by recipient)and managed one coffee/lunch meet.
Not Quite the all singing all dancing ‘Greatest’ dating site they claim to be?
Global Personal have left me a lot poorer and very jaded with online dating!
These days it is quite obvious that all those cupid sites and dating sites are all manipulated. This can be easily found if we can spend some time on those sites by emailing over 10 people. As there are not more than 10 customized scripts for sample chats, we can find out which site is fake and which site is not
These days it is quite obvious that all those cupid sites and dating sites are all manipulated. This can be easily found if we can spend some time on those sites by emailing over 10 people. As there are not more than 10 customized scripts for sample chats, we can find out which site is fake and which site is not
Global Personals does not use pseudo profiles. I think the industry is aware of this and the industry knows which companies still rely on pseudo profiles.
Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles and is proud of the fact that it was one of the first operators to abolish their use, almost three years ago. We welcome the recent media interest in pseudo profiles and appreciate the acknowledgement that Global Personals has received for being one of the only online dating businesses not to be carrying out this practice. We continue to campaign against pseudo profiles and ask the rest of the industry to stop this practice.
Global Personals does not use pseudo profiles. I think the industry is aware of this and the industry knows which companies still rely on pseudo profiles.
Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles and is proud of the fact that it was one of the first operators to abolish their use, almost three years ago. We welcome the recent media interest in pseudo profiles and appreciate the acknowledgement that Global Personals has received for being one of the only online dating businesses not to be carrying out this practice. We continue to campaign against pseudo profiles and ask the rest of the industry to stop this practice.
Do search online on review sites on companies who create dating scam and you will see names to yourself. Dating Factory is proud of NEVER to be on the list. In fact when we acquire companies and integrate databases – the first thing we do is to verify all profiles using our moderation team.
Do search online on review sites on companies who create dating scam and you will see names to yourself. Dating Factory is proud of NEVER to be on the list. In fact when we acquire companies and integrate databases – the first thing we do is to verify all profiles using our moderation team.
Will be interesting to see how this plays out in various legal systems. Some of what is described here are criminal offenses in the US. The only way this kind of behavior is going to get stamped out in the UK is if someone is made an example of.
Will be interesting to see how this plays out in various legal systems. Some of what is described here are criminal offenses in the US. The only way this kind of behavior is going to get stamped out in the UK is if someone is made an example of.
The first company to stop using fake profiles? All the succesful companies I know of here in Denmark never started. The only sites doing it here is all the big international sites trying to get traction locally.
The first company to stop using fake profiles? All the succesful companies I know of here in Denmark never started. The only sites doing it here is all the big international sites trying to get traction locally.
It is unacceptable to defend an appalling and deceitful practice by pointing the finger at others who have never indulged in them. Most operators in the UK have never contemplated creating profiles or stimulating dating activity and engagement in an artificial manner. Some have lost business because they wouldn’t and the industry as a whole suffers when customers of dating sites have to endure bad experiences which puts them off all Internet dating.
Most of us in the Uk have signed up to a new code under the auspices of the Association of Business Introduction Agencies, ABIA.org.uk. Other UK operators who can meet the code are invited to do so.
http://www.abia.org.uk/advice/abia-online-code-of-practice
It is unacceptable to defend an appalling and deceitful practice by pointing the finger at others who have never indulged in them. Most operators in the UK have never contemplated creating profiles or stimulating dating activity and engagement in an artificial manner. Some have lost business because they wouldn’t and the industry as a whole suffers when customers of dating sites have to endure bad experiences which puts them off all Internet dating.
Most of us in the Uk have signed up to a new code under the auspices of the Association of Business Introduction Agencies, ABIA.org.uk. Other UK operators who can meet the code are invited to do so.
http://www.abia.org.uk/advice/abia-online-code-of-practice
As a former WLD partner (hence wanting to stay anonymous) I can say in Ross defence I don’t think they do this any more – if they stopped doing it 2 years ago it fits in with when revenues took a sudden drop and when they made a huge deal out of stopping “sammers” !!
But Ross your saying you DID do it up to 2010? This is a disgusting. How many millions before 2010 did you make. if 50% of your sales were from this, then thats got to be well over £15M and thats looking at the complete bottomw end.
As a former white label partner I always found advertising too expensive, surely prices were driven up by this practise by falsely increasing member values and therefore competition between your partners?
I dont know what an independent audit or investigation can show because i am sure you covered your tracks and it must be almost impossible to prove which memebrs are real or not in any trail of emails and upgrades you do have. But you MUST be made an example of especially if others are doing it. You’ve always preached about how good you and white label dating are but this just highlights what a dirty and greedy business man you actually are.Surely if others were doing it then it was a real opportuntiy for you to be different and better than the rest from day 1. You only made a big deal of this when the heat was on your company and you decided to stop!
I hope enough of your employees and memebers speak up about this to make it stick.
As a former WLD partner (hence wanting to stay anonymous) I can say in Ross defence I don’t think they do this any more – if they stopped doing it 2 years ago it fits in with when revenues took a sudden drop and when they made a huge deal out of stopping “sammers” !!
But Ross your saying you DID do it up to 2010? This is a disgusting. How many millions before 2010 did you make. if 50% of your sales were from this, then thats got to be well over £15M and thats looking at the complete bottomw end.
As a former white label partner I always found advertising too expensive, surely prices were driven up by this practise by falsely increasing member values and therefore competition between your partners?
I dont know what an independent audit or investigation can show because i am sure you covered your tracks and it must be almost impossible to prove which memebrs are real or not in any trail of emails and upgrades you do have. But you MUST be made an example of especially if others are doing it. You’ve always preached about how good you and white label dating are but this just highlights what a dirty and greedy business man you actually are.Surely if others were doing it then it was a real opportuntiy for you to be different and better than the rest from day 1. You only made a big deal of this when the heat was on your company and you decided to stop!
I hope enough of your employees and memebers speak up about this to make it stick.
Dear Mark (Brooks) – I would dare say you may well be the world’s pre-eminent online dating journalist/commentator and OPW is indeed a great site.
However, I don’t see how you can “know” Global are now a “Model” company. You may well “believe” or possibly just “hope” that they are OK now-a-days but this is not the same as saying you “know” this. Would you therefore care to reconsider, or at least qualify, your present endorsement of them?
Given that they have not denied to what is a serious fraud under the UK Fraud Act 2006 and indeed would (also) be classed as “Conspiracy to Defraud” could we enquire what your renewed belief in them is based on? The word of Ross Williams?
Surely it is simply far lower cost and therefore even more profitable for Ross to generate fake messages and/or profiles by employing one unethical programmer to write clever code rather than have a “Boiler Room” fraud involving fifteen or so people doing the grunt work manually.
…and your evidence that they are not doing precisely that is …?
Dear Mark (Brooks) – I would dare say you may well be the world’s pre-eminent online dating journalist/commentator and OPW is indeed a great site.
However, I don’t see how you can “know” Global are now a “Model” company. You may well “believe” or possibly just “hope” that they are OK now-a-days but this is not the same as saying you “know” this. Would you therefore care to reconsider, or at least qualify, your present endorsement of them?
Given that they have not denied to what is a serious fraud under the UK Fraud Act 2006 and indeed would (also) be classed as “Conspiracy to Defraud” could we enquire what your renewed belief in them is based on? The word of Ross Williams?
Surely it is simply far lower cost and therefore even more profitable for Ross to generate fake messages and/or profiles by employing one unethical programmer to write clever code rather than have a “Boiler Room” fraud involving fifteen or so people doing the grunt work manually.
…and your evidence that they are not doing precisely that is …?
So glad that this deceit is been uncovered, but How ever , I don’t see this practice dying down soon, I believed even some start up social networking sites used this practice. All said, they deserved to be prosecuted.
So glad that this deceit is been uncovered, but How ever , I don’t see this practice dying down soon, I believed even some start up social networking sites used this practice. All said, they deserved to be prosecuted.
It is amazing how many different types of scammers there are in this industry; all together including scam operations, individual/team romance scammers, etc, their revenue probably dwarfs the legitimate revenue in the industry. Where else in modern society is there such inefficiency in any industry? If on average members are actually sending more to scammers, than they pay as fees to legitimate sites, would it actually make sense to have sites that charge much higher fees than most currently do, but provide higher service levels such as regular phone contact from customer service staff? This is something we would like to explore, although thus far as a rapidly growing niche site we are still offering free 800 toll free advice to free, and upgraded members.
It is amazing how many different types of scammers there are in this industry; all together including scam operations, individual/team romance scammers, etc, their revenue probably dwarfs the legitimate revenue in the industry. Where else in modern society is there such inefficiency in any industry? If on average members are actually sending more to scammers, than they pay as fees to legitimate sites, would it actually make sense to have sites that charge much higher fees than most currently do, but provide higher service levels such as regular phone contact from customer service staff? This is something we would like to explore, although thus far as a rapidly growing niche site we are still offering free 800 toll free advice to free, and upgraded members.
Using Pseudo profile is something else, I still find this hard to believe considering the rapid growth they have achieved
Using Pseudo profile is something else, I still find this hard to believe considering the rapid growth they have achieved
It is interesting to read the comments made here, in particular from WLD Partner and Seamus….
I couldn’t really have put it better myself. Lets face some facts here. Global Personals (Ross Williams) by saying that they stopped using fake profiles, ARE admitting that they used them. Any dating site business
that uses/has used fake profiles to send messages to innocent (real) users of such sites, in order to entice them into paying subscription fees, or by deliberately bombarding users with messages around the time of the membership
renewal in order to trick them into renewing their membership, is effectively committing a criminal offence, “conspiracy to defraud”, “fraud”, “obtaining money by deception” or whatever other offences exist for this type of behaviour.
“Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles”, well if Mr Williams condemns their use, he should NEVER have implemented them in the first place, but then he should never have implemented them in the first place ANYWAY.
Big question on my mind is, if Mr Williams, fake profiles had never been found out, would you still be using them????
Personally I would like to see Ross Williams stripped of all his immoral earnings and possibly sent to prison, but then I would apply that to any other business that has adopted the same practice(s).
WLD Partner have put it perfectly, especially in their penultimate paragraph.
I have seen several investigative programmes on the tv about the use of fake profiles, and I noticed that the response from some of the dating businesses seems to be shifting the blame onto scammers.
Now, I am aware that there will be people who do create fake profiles deliberately to entice innocent users to part with their cash. The usual stories about needing money for ill relatives or needing money for travel etc. It is possible that some of these profiles could be being created by some of the dating site staff. However, what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the
membership fee, interest tails off?? I’m sorry, but to me this stinks of malpractice on behalf of the dating businesses. This is either dating sites themselves doing this, or scammers who are being paid by dating sites to do this, otherwise, why
would this happen????
It is interesting to read the comments made here, in particular from WLD Partner and Seamus….
I couldn’t really have put it better myself. Lets face some facts here. Global Personals (Ross Williams) by saying that they stopped using fake profiles, ARE admitting that they used them. Any dating site business
that uses/has used fake profiles to send messages to innocent (real) users of such sites, in order to entice them into paying subscription fees, or by deliberately bombarding users with messages around the time of the membership
renewal in order to trick them into renewing their membership, is effectively committing a criminal offence, “conspiracy to defraud”, “fraud”, “obtaining money by deception” or whatever other offences exist for this type of behaviour.
“Global Personals condemns the use of pseudo profiles”, well if Mr Williams condemns their use, he should NEVER have implemented them in the first place, but then he should never have implemented them in the first place ANYWAY.
Big question on my mind is, if Mr Williams, fake profiles had never been found out, would you still be using them????
Personally I would like to see Ross Williams stripped of all his immoral earnings and possibly sent to prison, but then I would apply that to any other business that has adopted the same practice(s).
WLD Partner have put it perfectly, especially in their penultimate paragraph.
I have seen several investigative programmes on the tv about the use of fake profiles, and I noticed that the response from some of the dating businesses seems to be shifting the blame onto scammers.
Now, I am aware that there will be people who do create fake profiles deliberately to entice innocent users to part with their cash. The usual stories about needing money for ill relatives or needing money for travel etc. It is possible that some of these profiles could be being created by some of the dating site staff. However, what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the
membership fee, interest tails off?? I’m sorry, but to me this stinks of malpractice on behalf of the dating businesses. This is either dating sites themselves doing this, or scammers who are being paid by dating sites to do this, otherwise, why
would this happen????
Anon,
Yes, for non-international dating it is now becoming more commonplace to “allow” scammers to do the “motivating” instead of hiring internal or external “motivation teams”. It’s basically impossible to pinpoint any crime when doing this, because all the executive has to do is maintain an inadequate profile-review staff, and the scammers with fake (and compelling) pictures/descriptions/messages will go to work getting singles to upgrade.
There are still some domestic dating sites and quite a few international sites which do employ “motivators.” Not a day goes by when our customer service doesn’t hear from a man who has been defrauded by an international dating site he previously used.
You also asked “what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the membership fee, interest tails off?” In a sense, the marketplace forces websites that want to be huge to try to make “optimizations” like this that allow them to earn as much as possible from each user (we don’t do this particular thing and maybe that’s part of what makes it difficult for us to pay the price per lead that some of our competitors can apparently afford). I don’t think this particular thing could be called illegal, however, even where it is happening.
Anon,
Yes, for non-international dating it is now becoming more commonplace to “allow” scammers to do the “motivating” instead of hiring internal or external “motivation teams”. It’s basically impossible to pinpoint any crime when doing this, because all the executive has to do is maintain an inadequate profile-review staff, and the scammers with fake (and compelling) pictures/descriptions/messages will go to work getting singles to upgrade.
There are still some domestic dating sites and quite a few international sites which do employ “motivators.” Not a day goes by when our customer service doesn’t hear from a man who has been defrauded by an international dating site he previously used.
You also asked “what about the cases of people who have reportedly been inundated with messages and then once they have paid the membership fee, interest tails off?” In a sense, the marketplace forces websites that want to be huge to try to make “optimizations” like this that allow them to earn as much as possible from each user (we don’t do this particular thing and maybe that’s part of what makes it difficult for us to pay the price per lead that some of our competitors can apparently afford). I don’t think this particular thing could be called illegal, however, even where it is happening.
Talk of crime and fraud is misplaced. most sites who use this technique cover themselves through their terms and conditions, providing an entertainment service. eg, look at section 5A of Avid’s terms and conditions.
https://www.ashleymadison.com/app/public/tandc.p?c=24
users are getting wise to this. just look at forums discussing these sites.
Talk of crime and fraud is misplaced. most sites who use this technique cover themselves through their terms and conditions, providing an entertainment service. eg, look at section 5A of Avid’s terms and conditions.
https://www.ashleymadison.com/app/public/tandc.p?c=24
users are getting wise to this. just look at forums discussing these sites.
Im still waiting to here from someone why i can’t get logged in my account.on pof.
Im still waiting to here from someone why i can’t get logged in my account.on pof.
I’m getting messages from fakes on your sites every day. Despite paying an exhorbitant fee, have not received one genuine message yet. Incredible how all these messages, and the profiles (or lack of them) are almost identical every time. I stupidly followed up the first one I received, but it was not long before ‘she’ asked me to send money. It is obvious to everyone who uses these sites that the fake profiles and messages pour out continually. The originators don’t even try to do anything to make them look genuine!
I’m getting messages from fakes on your sites every day. Despite paying an exhorbitant fee, have not received one genuine message yet. Incredible how all these messages, and the profiles (or lack of them) are almost identical every time. I stupidly followed up the first one I received, but it was not long before ‘she’ asked me to send money. It is obvious to everyone who uses these sites that the fake profiles and messages pour out continually. The originators don’t even try to do anything to make them look genuine!
Having just found this feed in regards to Global Personals I thought I would just throw my two-penny-worth in.
I have just cancelled my account with one of their many ‘dating’ sites after sending in numerous complaints in regards to disingenuous profiles. I reported numerous obviously fake profiles, sometimes 2 or 3 times before any action was taken. There were also more than a few ‘suspect’ profiles and in the end, that was all I could see.
And although they may have stopped the widespread use of ‘pseudo’ entertainment profiles- (although I’m not completely satisfied about that)they do still employ other tactics.
The ‘fake’ viewing of profiles. I have actually been sat with a woman friend having a coffee when she apparently ‘Viewed’ my profile. I called site immediately and they made some story (site running slow???) that she did and we was wrong.
Also the ‘fake’ winks sent out by ‘women’ to make a man think they are interested and promote ‘chat’. any messages sent would always be ignored by the female profile.
Then there’s the ‘Icebreaker’. Site say’s they do not use any automated messaging. But all too often I would read a diary entry or someone’s profile stating “I did not send out the message titled *?!?*”
(Admittedly, some women used the icebreaker function. But site would send out a message on behalf of newcomers without their knowledge.)
But all too often, when trying to reply to an icebreaker you would find yourself ‘filtered’ out.
Another tactic they use, the lack of a decent proper verification system, which means pretty much anyone can sign up as a woman providing they have an active e-mail address. Because the women’s side was free it is open to all kinds of abuse. E.G, men setting up fake female accounts! (I know?)
But this also drew in the ‘scammers and spammers’. At the time I left I was getting in excess of 100 ‘winks’ from blank profiles a day. So infuriating receiving all these winks when no ‘genuine(?)’ profiles bothered reading or responding to messages sent.
Also, site uses old dormant unused profiles to make themselves seem more popular. when I mentioned this to the admin staff I was told that they are ‘people I may be interested in’. Why would I be interested in messaging a dormant profile when active profiles do not respond?
Also the filtering system. Great. If you showed on the profile what, if any filters are set. Nothing worse than spending time writing a polite articulate intro’ message only for it to be bounced back unread due to filters!!! If I had of known I was too old, too young I would not have spent my time messaging that profile. (Also, it would be interesting to see who has filters set to allow only people who are 119-120 living within 5miles?)
At my time of leaving site, after 6months I had sent out over 1500 polite intro’ messages (mostly not even read by recipient)and managed one coffee/lunch meet.
Not Quite the all singing all dancing ‘Greatest’ dating site they claim to be?
Global Personal have left me a lot poorer and very jaded with online dating!
Having just found this feed in regards to Global Personals I thought I would just throw my two-penny-worth in.
I have just cancelled my account with one of their many ‘dating’ sites after sending in numerous complaints in regards to disingenuous profiles. I reported numerous obviously fake profiles, sometimes 2 or 3 times before any action was taken. There were also more than a few ‘suspect’ profiles and in the end, that was all I could see.
And although they may have stopped the widespread use of ‘pseudo’ entertainment profiles- (although I’m not completely satisfied about that)they do still employ other tactics.
The ‘fake’ viewing of profiles. I have actually been sat with a woman friend having a coffee when she apparently ‘Viewed’ my profile. I called site immediately and they made some story (site running slow???) that she did and we was wrong.
Also the ‘fake’ winks sent out by ‘women’ to make a man think they are interested and promote ‘chat’. any messages sent would always be ignored by the female profile.
Then there’s the ‘Icebreaker’. Site say’s they do not use any automated messaging. But all too often I would read a diary entry or someone’s profile stating “I did not send out the message titled *?!?*”
(Admittedly, some women used the icebreaker function. But site would send out a message on behalf of newcomers without their knowledge.)
But all too often, when trying to reply to an icebreaker you would find yourself ‘filtered’ out.
Another tactic they use, the lack of a decent proper verification system, which means pretty much anyone can sign up as a woman providing they have an active e-mail address. Because the women’s side was free it is open to all kinds of abuse. E.G, men setting up fake female accounts! (I know?)
But this also drew in the ‘scammers and spammers’. At the time I left I was getting in excess of 100 ‘winks’ from blank profiles a day. So infuriating receiving all these winks when no ‘genuine(?)’ profiles bothered reading or responding to messages sent.
Also, site uses old dormant unused profiles to make themselves seem more popular. when I mentioned this to the admin staff I was told that they are ‘people I may be interested in’. Why would I be interested in messaging a dormant profile when active profiles do not respond?
Also the filtering system. Great. If you showed on the profile what, if any filters are set. Nothing worse than spending time writing a polite articulate intro’ message only for it to be bounced back unread due to filters!!! If I had of known I was too old, too young I would not have spent my time messaging that profile. (Also, it would be interesting to see who has filters set to allow only people who are 119-120 living within 5miles?)
At my time of leaving site, after 6months I had sent out over 1500 polite intro’ messages (mostly not even read by recipient)and managed one coffee/lunch meet.
Not Quite the all singing all dancing ‘Greatest’ dating site they claim to be?
Global Personal have left me a lot poorer and very jaded with online dating!
These days it is quite obvious that all those cupid sites and dating sites are all manipulated. This can be easily found if we can spend some time on those sites by emailing over 10 people. As there are not more than 10 customized scripts for sample chats, we can find out which site is fake and which site is not
These days it is quite obvious that all those cupid sites and dating sites are all manipulated. This can be easily found if we can spend some time on those sites by emailing over 10 people. As there are not more than 10 customized scripts for sample chats, we can find out which site is fake and which site is not