JDI Dating Ltd fined for using fake computer-generated profiles to trick users at Top News in The World

JDI Dating Ltd sent new users messages claiming to be from people nearby

But they could only respond by upgrading to paid memberships of up to $30 a month

Firm sent out messages expressing romantic interest from ‘Virtual Cupids’

Company operates 18 websites around the world with 12million members

US Federal Trade Commission has fined the firm $616,165 (£385,590)

Claims JDI Dating also failed to tell users that their subscriptions would be renewed automatically

Julian Robinson for MailOnline

Published:

04:26 EST, 31 October 2014

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Updated:

06:11 EST, 31 October 2014

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An online dating service has been fined for using fake, computer-generated profiles to lure users into upgrading to paid memberships.

JDI Dating Ltd, based in Britain, allowed new users to set up profiles for free – but then sent them messages from ‘Virtual Cupids’ expressing romantic interest.

But they were unable to respond to the messages – purporting to be from potential love interests living nearby – without upgrading to a paid membership costing between $10 and $30 per month.

JDI Dating Ltd, based in Britain, allowed new users to set up profiles for free – but then sent them messages from ‘Virtual Cupids’ expressing romantic interest (file picture)

The company, which has 12million members using its 18 websites around the world including flirtcrowd.com (pictured) has been ordered to pay a $616,165 (£385,590) fine

Now the company, which has 12million members using its 18 websites around the world including cupidswand.com, flirtcrowd.com and findmelove.com, has been ordered to pay a $616,165 (£385,590) fine.

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The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has told the firm to reform its practices and barred it from using the computer-generated profiles.

Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said: ‘JDI Dating used fake profiles to make people think they were hearing from real love interests and to trick them into upgrading to paid memberships.

One of JDI Dating Ltd’s computer generated profiles was of a 26-year-old woman called ‘HeidiHi’. The only indication it was not real was a ‘V’ encircled by a ‘C’ in the top right hand corner (shown with blue arrow)

‘Adding insult to injury, users were charged automatically to renew their subscriptions – often without their consent.’

One of the computer generated profiles was of a woman given the name ‘HeidiHi’. She was described as a ‘curvy’ 26-year-old with ‘light blonde’ hair and an ‘easy going’ personality’ and was looking for a man aged between 23 and 53.

The only indication it was not a real profile was a small ‘v’ encircled by a ‘C’ in the top right hand corner of the page, according to the FTC complaint.

The US Federal Trade Commission has told JDI Dating which operates findmelove.com (pictured) to reform its practices

A press release from the FTC said: ‘The fake profiles and messages caused many users to upgrade to paid subscriptions.’

The company was also found to have failed to tell subscribers that their subscriptions would be renewed automatically and that they would continue to be charged until they cancelled.

To avoid additional charges, members had to cancel at least 48 hours before their subscriptions ended, the FTC said.

Information about the automatic renewal feature was ‘buried in multiple pages of densely worded text that consumers could see only by clicking a “Terms and Conditions” hyperlink.’

MailOnline has requested a comment from JDI Dating Ltd this morning.