Category: IntimateConnections

Prisoner Personals

Posted on February 20, 2006

KOMO 1000 NEWS — Feb 19 — One ad on http://www.inmate-connections.com has a local woman outraged. The man who raped her is now advertising from prison looking for a female friend.   "Hello to all of the honest women in the world. Here is an opportunity to meet that honest man you've been searching for!" He is locked behind prison walls, behind barbed wire and he's not supposed to have access to the Internet. It turns out he has the help of a special courier. 

The full article was originally published at Komo 1000 News, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: While TRUE.com is promoting background checks and kicking felons off their site and the press are jumping on the safety bandwagon, women are vying for love on sites featuring men clad in prisoner uniforms.  Strange world.

Man Extorts Women

Posted on July 22, 2005

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPER — July 20 — Patrick Gilin was so popular that he persuaded more than 70 women he met through dating services to send him money "well into the six figures," authorities said.  Giblin, a 41-year-old Atlantic City gambler, was charged with 21 counts of extortion and wire fraud. Giblin met the women by registering with telephone and online dating services, such as Quest Personals, Lavalife, Intimate Connections and Private Lines.  He would get to know the women through telephone conversations, then tell them he planned to move or travel to their area and needed help with moving expenses.

Mark Brooks: Such offenses are extremely rare, but significant.  It’s best to communicate via an online dating site for a while to warm up, then date a few times.  I’m a big fan of the initial ‘coffee date.’  Don’t give out your work or home address until you are very comfortable with someone.  Let common sense prevail.  I think background checks are a good thing for the industry, but they’re not 100% foolproof.