TRUE has filed a civil lawsuit against a convicted felon and registered sex offender for misrepresenting his felony status when attempting to join the site.

To our knowledge, TRUE is the only online dating company that has pursued civil prosecution of an individual for misrepresenting himself online, and indeed this is TRUE’s second such lawsuit.

The new lawsuit charges that Edward Alvin Hodges, Jr., of Macclenny, Florida, who was convicted in 1995 of lewd and lascivious assault on a child under 16, violated federal and state laws when he falsely represented that he was not a felon while attempting to access TRUE’s membership database.

When registering for membership on TRUE, all users must certify that they have not been convicted of a felony or a sexual offense and that they are not married. Warnings posted on the site clearly state that TRUE vigorously pursues individuals who misrepresent themselves and reports violators to appropriate federal, state and local authorities, including parole boards.

“No background screenings are 100 percent foolproof, but they do provide a critical level of proactive protection that increases the safety of our members,” said TRUE founder and CEO Herb Vest. “In this case, this very simple procedure that we require of everyone who applies for membership prevented a potential online predator from communicating with our members.” Vest went on to say, “Our message is very clear – if you are a felon or are married – stay away from TRUE.”

TRUE discovered that Hodges had a prior felony conviction when he attempted to subscribe and he was immediately rejected by the company’s criminal background screening process. At no time was Hodges able to contact TRUE members. After investigating the case, TRUE reported the incident to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Offender & Predator Unit. Hodges was later incarcerated on unrelated criminal charges.

The First Lawsuit

This most recent announcement comes on the heels of a separate case filed by TRUE against another convicted felon and registered sex offender who gained access to the TRUE Web site. In November 2005, TRUE took the unprecedented step in the industry of filing a lawsuit against the individual for misrepresenting his felony status and improperly accessing TRUE’s database.

The lawsuit resulted in an agreement in September 2006 that:

• Prevented the convicted felon from signing up, using or communicating through any online dating or relationship service;
• Required him to immediately cancel all current memberships to online dating and relationship sites;
• Committed the felon to complete a community service obligation; and
• Designated he pay monetary damages to TRUE (which were donated to the Safer Online Dating Alliance).

According to the Department of Justice's Criminal Offender Statistics, more than two-thirds (approximately 67.5 percent) of convicted criminals released from prison are rearrested for a felony or serious crime. This alarming statistic – along with recent high-profile examples of criminals using online dating sites to meet their victims – underscores the importance of TRUE’s safety policies.

Lawmakers’ Involvement

TRUE continues to lead the industry in safety, staying ahead even of state legislative efforts. Recently state and federal lawmakers have become more involved in protecting their citizens. In Florida for instance, legislation sponsored by Rep. Kevin Ambler and Senator Jeremy Ring would further protect online daters in the state. The Internet Predator Awareness Act SB 1224/HB 531, would not only provide safer dating tips to users, but also require dating sites to clearly disclose whether they conduct background screenings.

TRUE’s Additional Safety Measures

Since its founding in 2003, TRUE has vigorously invested in the technologies, training and processes to become the safer online dating alternative for singles. In addition to the background and marriage screenings, TRUE's Member Safety team further protects members each day by identifying and removing scammers and other fraudsters; reviewing e-mails, profiles and photos; and monitoring chat room discussions. TRUE also employs a number of private investigators and former policemen from major cities around the country who lend their expertise in support of TRUE’s prosecution efforts.

“If I can keep just one more person safe from the hands of a convicted felon, then I have done something worthwhile for our members and our industry,” said Vest. “Imagine the effect it would have in protecting online daters if other sites would follow our lead and join our longstanding commitment by putting the safety of their members and their families first.”

TRUE's Member Safety team is dedicated to maintaining an ethical environment for serious singles to meet. Please notify TRUE Security or contact TRUE Customer Care if you suspect that a member is not complying with the member code of ethics or if you have other security concerns or questions.