US Dating Site Owner Looking At 20 Years In Jail - Used Fake Profiles To Bilk Customers - GoFuckYourself.com

Agent 488 · 06-28-2010, 01:01 PM

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/De...024/story.html

A Delta man has pleaded guilty in a Seattle courtroom to mail fraud -- for bilking his online-dating website customers out of $1.2 million.

Barrie Turner, 65, was arrested in March as he tried to cross the border into Point Roberts, Wash., where he kept a mailbox for his fraudulent businesses.

More than 100 people have filed complaints against Turner, according to U.S. court documents. Turner operated more than 200 dating websites offering matchmaking services, such as Executive Catholic Dating, Executive Seattle Dating and Executive Gay Dating among others.

An investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service revealed that Turner was accepting up to $997 US for six-month membership fees, but wasn't providing legitimate matchmaking services.

In many of the complaints, customers said they were matched with what they suspected were fictitious people.

In several instances, the same picture was used for multiple profiles, with the personal information alter-ed to suit the customer's geographical location.

Those interested in meeting their matches received identical emails informing them that the match had decided to date someone else.

The investigation also found that Turner lifted real identifies from dating sites such as Match.com -- causing unknowing people to be contacted, some of them who had since been married.

The fees for the websites were sent to mailbox outlet stores across the U.S. before being forwarded to the Point Roberts post office.

Turner is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez on Sept. 24 in Seattle. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

sortie · 06-28-2010, 01:05 PM

Smackdown! Cool!

andrej_NDC · 06-28-2010, 01:06 PM

I thought you are here 24/7, this was posted already.

Agent 488 · 06-28-2010, 01:07 PM

got it wrong. i think they guy is from BC.

Agent 488 · 06-28-2010, 01:08 PM

i've been busy.

marketsmart · 06-28-2010, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent 488

got it wrong. i think they guy is from BC.

how did he get here? a time machine perhaps?

.

Kolargol · 06-28-2010, 01:16 PM

I haven't seen a real profile in any of major dating sites' ads

pradaboy · 06-28-2010, 01:17 PM

hehe they could sue any dating site out there.

Agent 488 · 06-28-2010, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marketsmart

how did he get here? a time machine perhaps?

.

The Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.

datatank · 06-28-2010, 01:20 PM

So are all the other dating site owners shaking in their boots or what?

fuzebox · 06-28-2010, 01:22 PM

Poor guy... If he had set up his operation properly he wouldn't be in this mess.

BestXXXPorn · 06-28-2010, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by datatank

So are all the other dating site owners shaking in their boots or what?

You'd be surprised at the lengths to which the big dating sites go through to remove fraudulent accounts... small army of manual reviewers among other things...

andrej_NDC · 06-28-2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by datatank

So are all the other dating site owners shaking in their boots or what?

No, they can blame it on rogue profile uploaders.

Tom_PM · 06-28-2010, 01:36 PM

Those darn rogues get in every nook and cranny.

czarina · 06-28-2010, 01:47 PM

this can get interesting...

Fabien · 06-28-2010, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrej_NDC

I thought you are here 24/7, this was posted already.

Yeah, me too

But thanks for sharing as i didn't get this one at first stance

Agent 488 · 06-28-2010, 06:51 PM

interesting read:

http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_me...=techflash.com

TeenCat · 06-28-2010, 06:56 PM

what an idiot, welcome in 2030

06-28-2010, 01:01 PM	#1
Agent 488 Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 22,511	US Dating Site Owner Looking At 20 Years In Jail - Used Fake Profiles To Bilk Customers http://www.timescolonist.com/news/De...024/story.html A Delta man has pleaded guilty in a Seattle courtroom to mail fraud -- for bilking his online-dating website customers out of $1.2 million. Barrie Turner, 65, was arrested in March as he tried to cross the border into Point Roberts, Wash., where he kept a mailbox for his fraudulent businesses. More than 100 people have filed complaints against Turner, according to U.S. court documents. Turner operated more than 200 dating websites offering matchmaking services, such as Executive Catholic Dating, Executive Seattle Dating and Executive Gay Dating among others. An investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service revealed that Turner was accepting up to $997 US for six-month membership fees, but wasn't providing legitimate matchmaking services. In many of the complaints, customers said they were matched with what they suspected were fictitious people. In several instances, the same picture was used for multiple profiles, with the personal information alter-ed to suit the customer's geographical location. Those interested in meeting their matches received identical emails informing them that the match had decided to date someone else. The investigation also found that Turner lifted real identifies from dating sites such as Match.com -- causing unknowing people to be contacted, some of them who had since been married. The fees for the websites were sent to mailbox outlet stores across the U.S. before being forwarded to the Point Roberts post office. Turner is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez on Sept. 24 in Seattle. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

06-28-2010, 01:05 PM	#2
sortie Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7,771	Smackdown! Cool! __________________

06-28-2010, 01:17 PM	#8
pradaboy sell me your banners Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: on the tubes Posts: 12,931	hehe they could sue any dating site out there. __________________ Media Buyer - Sell me your traffic! FREE to register domains... Better than 99% of the crap sold here!

06-28-2010, 01:36 PM	#14
Tom_PM Porn Meister Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 16,443	Those darn rogues get in every nook and cranny. __________________ 43-922-863 Shut up and play your guitar.

06-28-2010, 06:56 PM	#18
TeenCat Too lazy to set a koala Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: CZ/EU forever! Posts: 16,139	what an idiot, welcome in 2030 __________________ 6bot / Coming again very soon! Svit Zlin Radio 24/7!

06-28-2010, 01:06 PM	#3
andrej_NDC Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 7,760	I thought you are here 24/7, this was posted already.

06-28-2010, 01:07 PM	#4
Agent 488 Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 22,511	got it wrong. i think they guy is from BC.

06-28-2010, 01:08 PM	#5
Agent 488 Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 22,511	i've been busy.

06-28-2010, 01:16 PM	#7
Kolargol Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: www.footfetishsponsors.com Posts: 1,319	I haven't seen a real profile in any of major dating sites' ads

06-28-2010, 01:20 PM	#10
datatank Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: My dog is blacker than Tupac Posts: 5,471	So are all the other dating site owners shaking in their boots or what?

06-28-2010, 01:22 PM	#11
fuzebox making it rain Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: seattle Posts: 22,013	Poor guy... If he had set up his operation properly he wouldn't be in this mess.

06-28-2010, 01:47 PM	#15
czarina Webmaster Extraordinaire Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: A beautiful beach... Posts: 10,744	this can get interesting...

06-28-2010, 06:51 PM	#17
Agent 488 Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 22,511	interesting read: http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_me...=techflash.com