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| Blogs > Andrew > Comments from the CEO/Founder |
Ideas to combat profile fraud...
6/1/2006 9:09 am |
southrn, i noticed sometimes when i email customer service, if this certain one person named 'abel' answers back, I can always guarantee getting back a message that says 'I do not understand what the problem is...." etc. I can email the same thing again and get someone else who at least understands the email, even if i havent put enough info in the email, and they can let me know what they need.
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6/1/2006 10:44 am |
How's this for an idea? The client signs up with a credit card (no initial charges if they just want to browse... it also keeps minors off the site, since I've seen profiles that say the person is 14), and then must call a toll-free number within a certain period of time to confirm their CC number, and also a verification code sent to an e-mail address? This might stop some spammers, as I can't imagine they'd want to go through the bother of all the above. Also, might seem a bit cruel, but if you get profiles with fake pics or are spamming, you can charge them with a hefty penalty fee (which of course would be in your terms of service). If you like my ideas, I'll take a lifetime Gold Membership 
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6/1/2006 10:51 am |
Oh, and as a PS to the customer service issue - I had a problem where I could not e-mail members on the LesbianPersonals site, nor could I post messages on the Magazine. I was told by Customer Service that this was an issue with my computer's internet access ability. However, when I replied that I could e-mail members on Passion.com (but could not access the Magazine through Passion.com they responded that they would look into it. Lo and behold, I can now e-mail members and post to the Magazine, all within about 24 hours! Just be persistent, it should pay off. luvpump - if I may suggest, I have to wonder if having so many Various, Inc. sites interconnected isn't part of the problem? A few people on LesbianPersonals have pointed out that their profiles also show up on a lesbians personal page... and they are straight males! I know you want to offer choices to your customers, but when I have to log into one site to send mail, another to post to the Magazine, and see my profile on a lesbian personals page... I gotta wonder.
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6/1/2006 11:36 pm |
I have no problem with paying for the services this site provides it is the best, however whilst it is a convenient way of doing business some other option of payment either setting up direct debit or a deal with paypal or similar service needs to be considered. If one of these options were introduced I would already be a paying customer. As to business services provided by internet operating companies wishing to make a living by a touch of a button a good part of the community is being left behind mainly because they dont want to be part of the credit card rat race.
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6/2/2006 1:26 am |
just wondering... is One blogger (on His own blog) allowed 2 misrepresent another by surreptitiously (sic) replacing the others comment with His own? thank you in advance
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6/2/2006 3:17 am |
And how would this work with members in the Uk who don't want to give out their credit card details or phone long distance???? x x x Blue
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6/2/2006 4:39 am |
what about the people who dont have credit cards to pay the measely $1? thatx fuqued up shade of pink
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6/2/2006 4:19 pm |
You don't need to pay necessarily for a Standard Membership. If you could verify that it's really you setting up the account, rather than simply clicking a link in an automated e-mail sent to you (which any spammer can do) that was my general idea. There's got to be a better way of confirming your identity while not costing you anything... that's what I was suggesting. Okay, so you don't have a credit card or you don't want to phone long distance... I hadn't thought of that. There must be a way though of confirming ID that would deter spammers. ConfirmID seems to be a good idea, but I'm not keen on sending my info to Various, Inc.
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My pet peeve is that I still see profile pics that I know have been stolen from porn sites. It's usually men who do this. I report the offender when I see him, but I've noticed that sometimes nothing happens as a result.
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6/4/2006 5:50 am |
You don't need to pay necessarily for a Standard Membership. If you could verify that it's really you setting up the account, rather than simply clicking a link in an automated e-mail sent to you (which any spammer can do) that was my general idea. There's got to be a better way of confirming your identity while not costing you anything... that's what I was suggesting. Okay, so you don't have a credit card or you don't want to phone long distance... I hadn't thought of that. There must be a way though of confirming ID that would deter spammers. ConfirmID seems to be a good idea, but I'm not keen on sending my info to Various, Inc.
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I am a standard member and if I got to pay a dollar, to keep up what Im doing, Im fine with that. But it would have to be by mail only! I have NO credit cards!...and this 800 call, for the ID thing, I could do that! The thought of not being able to Blog here! Would kill me!!..ok and meet nice guys along the way! And Knocking on Wood...I have never had a problem with spammers or fake profiles. So I really dont know what to say about them!
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ok I havent read all the responses but this is my view on the content of the main post.... spammers are a pain in the butt but you have to be careful what makes this site great is that people can communicate without being paid members they can earn points etc etc .... not everyone has a credit card or wants one and not everyone can afford to spend money on such a service....and if you exclude those members from being able to respond you then lose the bulk of the fish from the virtual sea.... what you propose is a BIG mistake and will damage the popularity and viability of the site....find another way....customer education is the most important thing....first and formost....as difficult it may seem with just a hint of experience and time on the site most spammers can be picked a mile away....by members...the problem is most lose their patience before they get that experience....and creating the challenges that you suggest will only contribute to the frustration....I know of many new members who within their first few ventures on the site looking around have given up due to the limitations and restrictions of the site to unpaid members and while I understand that...and its purpose the site is not easily navigable for content by first time users who are unpaid....it is only once you understand that it is the premium content and profile links which are what is restricted that you can find your way around... the best defence is by continuing to encourage genuine members to provide content for the site..... it makes the site active and interesting and presents a validity for a profile which for spammers is absent....  WyvernRose
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6/5/2006 6:52 am |
I'm not sure how having someone mail in a money order for $1 will help the site identify a member as fraud, or not. I hope you aren't suggesting that anyone sending the $1 from a Nigerian mailing address MUST be a fraud? NO NIGERIAN MEMBERS ALLOWED. I see a discrimination lawsuit on the horizon THERE! Members CAN and WOULD do the best job of policing the site. It's in our own best interest. I often "report for review." I have been a standard member for over 3 years and have NEVER received mail from a spammer. For those members who do, I'd suggest the maxim "If it looks too good to be true, it probably IS."
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I don't think this is very easy to handle. I may not need it now, but I cannot use a credit card and have to do a money order because I am in Africa. Even if it is a $1 money order, that is no problem, but it will take a while before I can be active then. I don't mind using web phone to call though. If the main vehicle for fraud is email, then I think the email measures will be a big help. I also know from what I have seen that members grossly disregard site rules in many cases. So enforcing the rules first, will also help a lot. Honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost. ~One Minute in Life~
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I am seriously considering banning ALL contact information exchange on this site (e.g., sending an email address, instant messenger account, etc automatically removes the account from the live site until the owner calls customer service to get their account turned on). yeah good call on that... this should keep it fairly local too cos I doublt anyone outside the US will call to activate a profile....On second thoughts...I think this could be just what it would take to finish this site off...who is gonna call you? Don't you realise that sometimes the more you do ... the more you make the site complicated for people and the less people will use it (including paying members). In life and on this site...you just have to take the good with the bad Bye everyone, it was a blast
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I don't have a printer so my boyfriend, who is also on the site, printed out the form for me to verify my ID on this site. I also had him photocopy my passport for me. I filled all this in and sent it off and awaited my verification and my points I should have earned. Instead of me being verified, though, my boyfriend was verified as being me. This is the kind of thing that allows fraudsters to be on the site. Things are in place, but they ain't administrated properly. If somebody had checked the verification details they would have seen that, although it had his number on the printout..it actually had my name and all my details. These differed greatly from his profile details (as you can imagine) yet he was verified instead of me. Fix what you have and work with what you have before you go making it any more complicated, a complicated site will a) put people off joining b) make it easier for the fraudsters cos we will trust more thinking they are real. ( hope ya get this bit) Bye everyone, it was a blast
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I think you should stay with ConfirmId. The infrastructure is already in place and it would be a gradual change to make it part of the Bronze or Copper membership. I wouldn't like to see the censorship on responses and emails get any tighter. I would like to see something in the response that comes back from a censor rejection that cites the text that was rejected. It is difficult to play the guessing game on what text was rejected w/out at the slightest hint of the cause of rejection.
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Do you think that if the three digit number appears as a graphic, that would prevent someone generating an automated script? In programming, it may be easy to read the numbers, but trying to read a graphic (of 3 letters or numbers) may not be that easy.
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I'm a Standard member, and all I can do is blog and post to groups. I get Cupid Matches, but since I can't read profiles or send e-mail to them it is mostly an exercise in frustration. Even if it was only 3 profiles a month, that would be a lot less frustrating than 0. And charging extra for what little I have now would just make me close my profile and go home. A small annual fee that could be mailed in? If it allowed some e-mail, and viewing some profiles, maybe. If it was just to get what little I get now, forget it. I don't pay to get abused. Opus
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6/10/2006 2:39 am |
and there goes the free standard membership... *rolls eyes* TTFN
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6/12/2006 10:08 am |
Sounds like a problem that might be solved by confirmed membership, however the legalese on the form would keep all but the criminally stupid from ever signing it and sending it in, (all info, images, ideas, etc. are owned by LesbianPersonals, and anyone assigned by LesbianPersonals,forever, in perpetutity, anywhere in the universe..." This is not the exact language, but seriously, people really sign that form? Also, I have e-mailed the C/S dept 3 times regarding various issues and never even received a reply. My single handle is 3XLoser3.
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6/12/2006 2:25 pm |
Can we just make the BOTS go away in BlogLand ... Please! It's getting really cluttered. Feels helpless. Thanks A  warm huggies 2ya
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I totally don't agree with blocking all email transfer of information. The 3 email rule is okay but i'm not a big fan of it either. plus, if they can cheaply pay people to get around current measures it's not going to be that much harder for them to send 3 emails and still get the info they want. i think instead of improving service your giving more reason for valid members to go to other sites and forego LesbianPersonals all together to find someone to hookup with. it's difficult ennough to find someone with out you continually making it harder and more of a hassle.
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6/15/2006 8:19 am |
My pet peeve is that I still see profile pics that I know have been stolen from porn sites. It's usually men who do this. I report the offender when I see him, but I've noticed that sometimes nothing happens as a result.
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6/17/2006 12:22 pm |
EXACTLY!!! You damn well know that some of these pics are professional shots but no one seems to be doing anything about it. You can tell when someone's pic is from a web cam or just a regular person taking the photo. There is nothing wrong with having a really polished pic but hey, 9 times out of 10, it's a fake.
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