Setting up an online business can be very lucrative. For example, DEAiBBS, a Japanese dating website, has reportedly earned 2 billion yen or $22.7 million since its launch. But unknown to many, the Japanese website has already crossed the line by using fake profiles instead of real ones. The folks behind the dating website DEAiBBS were arrested on Tuesday, January 15th, on charges of fraud after the authorities found out that they got away with over $22 million from operating an online dating community mostly populated by fake profiles.
The website, which started in 2005, has a user base of around 120,000 people. Authorities say that roughly 80 percent of the site’s users were fake. During its 7-year operation, over 45 complaints have already been reported, with damages estimated to have reached 85,000,000 yen or $965,000. One of the victims was a 30-year-old woman from Aichi Prefecture who spent nearly 20 million yen ($22,700). Another 70-year-old man reportedly spent nearly 10 million ($11,300) just to date online.
Filed in ..