ACMA cracks down on fake dating profiles
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has obtained a court order banning a mobile provider from creating fake profiles on dating sites in order to trick people into SMSing premium rate numbers.
ACMA launched proceedings against Mobilegate, Winning Bid, Jobspy and named individuals accusing them of breaching the Spam Act.
It alleged they were using “fabricated dating profiles, to dishonestly obtain a financial advantage or gain from Australian mobile telephone account holders”.
It claimed that users of dating websites were enticed to reply to premium rate numbers where they would be charged five dollars per message.
The order banned:
- creating, submitting or registering fictitious profiles on dating websites or social networking websites;
- posting or otherwise publishing photos or other images of individuals on dating websites or social networking websites without first obtaining the permission of those individuals to do so;
- communicating with users of dating websites or social networking websites on those websites through fictitious profiles.
It also ordered Winning Bid to deactivate fictitious profiles on dating websites or social networking websites it has registered or placed on those websites.
The move is the latest in a growing campaign by ACMA to clean up the mobile marketing sector.
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Well they took their time but at least they are doing something about it. How is this not fraud or obtaining funds by deception? The people who they duped shoud have their money refunded. My friends and I have had several wine induced discussions on whether the people on these sites really exist, now our stupur conspiracy theories have been confirmed.
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Are you telling me that I now have no hope of finding a girlfriend? 🙁
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