Dating Sites now Attracting Mainstream Singles
Thursday, 23. February 2006 - 6:11 pm
THE TRIBUNE STAR — Feb 11 — Hooking up via cyberspace is especially attractive to the 35 to 55 crowd, said Sorin Matei, a Purdue University associate professor who specializes in online communication. herb Vest, CEO of TRUE, said the sheer number of singles participating online is a draw. "It is a very, very efficient way and effective way to find your soul mate." Although still coming in droves, for the first time, personal dating sites are losing more users than they are attracting, Jupiter's data shows. Only about a quarter of users are either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with online personals sites, according to Jupiter Research. "The biggest issue people have today with online dating is dishonesty," said Falzone of Together Dating/The Right One, whose traditional dating service has experienced a boon from clients disappointed with online dating. "I could be the Lone Ranger on there and no one would know." FULL ARTICLE @ TRIBUNE STARMark Brooks: There are two kinds of internet dating users. 1. Those that are happy and met someone special. 2. This that are not happy, and did not meet someone special. …My concern is, people don't realise the amount of time and effort it takes to meet someone through online dating. It's a far superior medium for discerning good potential matches, but it still takes considerable time and effort.
25. March 2006 - 6:14 am
BACKGROUND CHECKS AND DISCLOSURE = TRUE LIES
Vest once again is trying to get lawmakers to pass his background check disclosure act, since it failed every where, even in Texas True’s home base. True is now trying in Illinois HB5299 . Vest exploits women, doesn’t disclose his own deceptive business practices and is hiding his personal background of abuse and womanizing. I believe Vest should be exposed because he is using our lawmakers to manipulate the industry and continues to exploit women while he lies to the public of his motivates in order to line his own pockets
An online dating site called True.com which touts it’s self as the safer dating service and the owner Herb Vest is behind litigation to require all dating services to disclose if they conduct background checks should be investigated for date bait along with several other questionable business practices.
Vest is being sued in Dallas, Texas by his former fiancee. The details of the woman’s case is very disturbing. Vest who is fighting to require background checks is now fighting to keep the detail affidavit by this woman seal. Vest sited it would damage his business and personal life.
Some of the details includes Vest with prostitutes, Threesomes with lesbians. Several sexual harassment claims against Vest while at HD Vest, Inc. Cheating on his second wife with a prostitute. And, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Vest stated: “In addition to screening our own members for criminal backgrounds, TRUE is doing everything it can to make the online dating community at-large a more wholesome environment for courtship – one that is free and clear of predators and criminals”. In another statement “The idea for True.com came from wanting to provide a “safe and wholesome environment for courtship,”" Vest said.
True is now turning it’s business to the sex trade. http://www.askmen.com has a contest to pick the hottest True girl. True.com’s exploitation of women in sleazy ads:
http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com/columns/2005editorials/april2005.html
http://www.calacanis.com/2006/01/13/should-we-run-these-ampd-ads-or-not/3#comments
http://www.corante.com/dating/images/trueuglymodel.png
In addition you may want to ask Vest about the following business practices.
bloggers have posted claims they have seen documentation of fraud on the part of True. That is, ex-employees who claim that part of their job description was to pose as real people and keep people as members to motivate them to become paid subscribers.
I think that this issue becomes even more pertinent in light of similar allegations currently against Match.com and Yahoo Personals. It is no secret that some “customer service” people that used to work at True are no longer there — and having left under curious circumstances. Vest/ HDVE could be compelled to release names of such ex-employees so they can be questioned about these allegations of fraud. Vest should also be questioned as to whether they have any knowledge of fake/bait profiles being used by True employees at the direction of Vest and/or any of the executive management to essentially deceive or defraud customers or potential customers.
Secrets True.com doesn’t want made public!
1. “Is the endorsement from Psychology Today an academic endorsement or a paid endorsement?”
2. “You state on your site that you have a team of experts behind your testing/psychology services… who are they exactly and how do I get in touch with them in order to ask them what they specifically do for True and examples of recent work.” “Or, perhaps you (True.com) is overstating their roles as a marketing gimmick.”
3. “It seems True has been busy altering the authorship of certain online articles in its online magazine from Dr. James Houran to “Psychology Department” — implying Houran is still a part of the psychology dept. and that True has an active psychology dept.” Why is it making these changes in authorship? Does the online magazine editor (Leah Gentry, formerly a journalist with the LA Times) endorse this practice?”
4. Why has True.com not revealed to its customers that they no longer have the benefit of Dr. James Houran? He was arguably a huge value ad to the business and the welfare of the customers, yet customers are not told he is no longer with the company. True pushes for legislation requiring disclosure and yet they curiously are not disclosing that certain features/ benefits of the site are no longer part of the price of membership.”
FYI: Dr. Jim Houran was fired in October and True sued him. True hasn’t disclosure that there are no experts on staff. Even the security expert is gone. The gimmicks True promotes it’s self with aren’t True!
Also, Vest and his wife has broken their own rule : NO MARRIED PEOPLE ALLOWED. Screen names (undermoose) and (fite) both go into chat rooms. So True.com no married people can contact members isn’t True either.
VEST OFTEN GOES TO THE CHAT ROOM TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. VEST DOESN’T DISCLOSE THAT MARK BROOKS IS ON THE PAYROLL FOR TRUE.COM. VEST USES MARKS BLOG TO PROMOTE HIS COMPANY AND USES A DIFFERENT NAME.
3. November 2006 - 9:32 pm
If people enter online dating with unrealistic expectations then they are setting them self up to be disappointed and are likely to be unsatisfied with online dating. When dating offline, do you go clubbing and expect to meet the person of your dreams as soon as you walk into the door of the first club? No, so why should you expect this of online dating? You have to be honest and you have to make sure your profile is filled in correctly, you should have a profile on many different sites. You have to be prepared to communicate with people and get to know them just like you would talk to them offline.