15 Chiang Mai women sue dating web site over stolen photos

[webfact]

15 women sue AsianDate.com over stolen photos
By Coconuts Bangkok



CHAING MAI: -- Around 15 Chiang Mai women filed a police report against a modeling agent this morning after their photos and full names were used to make fake profiles on a dating web site.

Kanitanong Akeero, one of the victims, told police she googled herself and found photos taken by agent Suwan Wongyai used without her permission on Asiandate.com, a dating site serving those stricken with yellow fever.

Kanitanong said many horny foreigners have added her on Facebook and propositioned her for sex. After interrogating the men, they said they got her information from Asiandate, where members pay THB3,000 - THB10,000 to contact an Asian lady listed there.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/03/23/15-women-sue-asiandatecom-over-stolen-photos


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-03-23

[webfact]

50 Chiang Mai Women Report Dating Site 'Identity Theft'

By Khaosod English

CHIANG MAI — More than 50 women in Chiang Mai province say their photographs were used without their permission to make fake profiles on a dating website.

The women, most of whom are in their 20s and 30s, told police they were approached by a man named Suwannawit Wongyai who offered to take their photos and send them to advertising and modelling companies.

Suwannawit reportedly assigned a photographer named Sumek Intaraha to conduct the photoshoots at landmarks around Chiang Mai province. The women say they were paid 1,000 baht each for the sessions.

One of the victims told Khaosod that several months after the photoshoot, a foreign man contacted her through Facebook and said he had chatted with her on a dating site. The man reportedly paid 3,000 baht to join the site, AsianDate.com, which promised clients the opportunity chat with women featured in the advertisement.

"He asked whether I was looking for a partner, and whether I sell any sexual services," the victim said, "I was shocked."

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1427107340


-- Khaosod English 2015-03-23

[Chicog]

Any money shots? If not, then men who paid for these are barmy.

[Mcffee]

'a dating site serving those stricken with yellow fever' ??

edit: ahh OK. Prefer Dateinasia is just the best datingsite out there, the rest is commercial rubbish by smart marketeers, not by passioned webdesigners like the Norwegian guy from DIA.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Mcffee

[falangjim]

"...Asiandate.com, a dating site serving those stricken with yellow fever."

Khosad English, an on-line rag stricken with horrible writers.

[Just1Voice]

I know one of the girls who got caught up in this. She is NOT happy about it, to say the least.

[kkerry]

"...Asiandate.com, a dating site serving those stricken with yellow fever."

Khosad English, an on-line rag stricken with horrible writers.

Try reading the article more slowly... nowhere does Khaosod English mention 'yellow fever'...

[Sviss Geez]

"...Asiandate.com, a dating site serving those stricken with yellow fever."

Khosad English, an on-line rag stricken with horrible writers.

Try reading the article more slowly... nowhere does Khaosod English mention 'yellow fever'...

No, it's the dirtbag site Coconuts that's to blame.

[worgeordie]

"after interrogating the men",tie them to a chair,with a whip involved

some men would pay good money for that

regards worgeordie

[SoFarAndNear]

Now they are famous. Isnt this what they wanted?

[bkkcanuck8]

Now they are famous. Isnt this what they wanted?

Obviously the women that are involved want control of their own image and how it is used, and they don't want to be hounded by guys thinking they are sex workers. Not every Thai women aspires to be your sex slave.

[Suffinator]

I've got a couple of friends who are now using soulfuly.com. DateinAsia also appears to be a popular choice. The online dating industry has long been plagued with fake accounts; there's a BBC documentary on some of the schemes these companies come up with in order to lure guys into paying for their services and none are ethical.

[slipperylobster]

Good example of not getting what you paid for.

Keep sending money to that pretty lady you met on the website, blokes. You are more than likely supporting a Nigerian Alcoholic.

[bkkcanuck8]

Good example of not getting what you paid for.

Keep sending money to that pretty lady you met on the website, blokes. You are more than likely supporting a Nigerian Alcoholic.

But some of those Nigerian Alcoholics are hot

[Donnievino]

The Asian Date site looks like scam to me. Unbelievably beautiful women available for only a small price to email them.

[webfact]

Girls deceived into matchmaking and dating business after modeling shooting

CHIANG MAI: -- Several hundreds of women in Chiang Mai lodged complaint with the police saying they were deceived into a matchmaking and dating business by an agent after posing for pictures for personal profiles in modeling agencies. But in the end they found that their pictures ended up on a foreign matchmaking and dating website.

The ladies, mostly college students, filed complaints with the Phuphing Ratchanivet police station in Chiang Mai province against an individual known as ‘Al’ aged 25 years old who allegedly takes pictures for modeling agencies.

The ladies complained that they had been deceived into having their pictures taken apparently for personal profiles but discovered that their pictures had ended up on a foreign website with matchmaking and dating business instead.

They revealed that ‘Al’ had joined a Chiang Mai ‘Pretty’ Line group in the middle of last year.

He had announced that he wanted ‘Pretty’s or sideline female models for a photo shoot in order to create a portfolio for well known modeling agencies. More than 100 women had agreed and were paid 1,000 baht/day each.

They were surprised however when only two days before, foreign men had contacted a few of them asking for dates. They later discovered that ‘Al’ had posted their pictures and personal information on a dating website both in Asia and in Europe.

Customers of the website had to pay anywhere between 3,000 – 10,000 baht membership fee in order to gain entry into the website.

Apparently, substitutes alleging to be the women in the pictures had been posted to answer queries.

Al was later arrested.

When questioned by authorities, ‘Al’ had said that he had no knowledge of the website but had only taken pictures on behalf of modeling agencies.

Police will be questioning all parties involved in the matter to get to the bottom of the business.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/girls-deceived-into-matchmaking-and-dating-business-after-modeling-shooting


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-24

[mikehock]

Now they are famous. Isnt this what they wanted?

Obviously the women that are involved want control of their own image and how it is used, and they don't want to be hounded by guys thinking they are sex workers. Not every Thai women aspires to be your sex slave.

If they want control over their own image, why sell the photos for1000 baht to a virtual stranger .

[bkkcanuck8]

Now they are famous. Isnt this what they wanted?

Obviously the women that are involved want control of their own image and how it is used, and they don't want to be hounded by guys thinking they are sex workers. Not every Thai women aspires to be your sex slave.

If they want control over their own image, why sell the photos for1000 baht to a virtual stranger .

Because people are incredibly trusting, and any good con-artist can use this and misrepresent themselves -- and dangle the right incentives. Tell someone that has an interest in potentially becoming a model or an actress that they can make their dreams come true and look the part and people want to trust you. I demonstrated (on a dare/bet) this when I was younger -- if you act the part -- people don't really question you. I was able to go into the kitchen of a restaurant one time pretending to be a new employee and get a drink - and no one questioned me because ... I believed I could do it and I played the part well.

[ToddinChonburi]

Read the op article.

[Alan Hall]

sounds legit where do I signn up to see all these woman

[bonobo]

Model wannabes are sometimes willing to go to great lengths to get a career going. I've been an award-winning photographer, and a friend asked me to shoot photos for his athletic social club's new website. During the interviews, I had more than a few hopeful models ask me how much they had to pay me for the shoot, ask me how much nudity was involved, and whether they had to perform sex. This for a legitimate athletic club. One girl told me that she was supposed to be paid $50 for a "nude" shoot that turned into a porn video with one guy shooting his buddy with her. And they gave her a fake check. Sure, this girl was too accepting (well, an idiot, to be precise), but the point is, so many girls, and probably boys, too, want to be a model so much that they throw out common sense in the hopes that the gig is legitimate.

I a sure these young ladies were hoping to break into the pretty market, and that has to start with photos.

[Chicog]

What's wrong with just calling them what they are: Greedy and Vain.

[bkkcanuck8]

What's wrong with just calling them what they are: Greedy and Vain.

Because it would describe the vast majority of people. Most people are greedy for something, which is why almost anyone can be taken by a good con-artist.... you just have to figure out what they want and use it against them. The only ones that are not vain are those that have come to reality about how they look (most people are not that great looking, but very few people believe it absolutely).

[pennine]

Asian date is not good. Most dating sites charge a subscription to join, after which you can message other members with personal details. Asiandate charges handsomely for every single action (read letters, chat, e-mail, call etc) but deletes any attempt to include personal details.

[Kerryd]

"15 women sue AsianDate.com over stolen photos"

I was waiting for the next headline, expecting something like "Investigation reveals 14 of those fake accounts belong to male TV members" ! (You know who you are, you pervs ! )

Seriously. Most of those dating sites have been scams since Day 1. There are a couple others (or were at least) in Thailand that, iirc, were run by a foreigner and his Thai wife. They'd create fake profiles and then respond to messages themselves in an attempt to get the suckers prospective lovelorn wallets males to cough up a membership or upgrade fees.

There was also a documentary awhile back (on BBC ?) about Isaan girls trying to find foreign husbands. Some went to the big city and tried working in the bars. Others used the online dating sites, often paying an "intermediary" to help set up the profile and type emails to whomever responds. The intermediary (almost like a mamasan) would coach the girls on what kinds of photos to use, what to say/not to say and translate messages.

[Shiver]

"Yellow fever" - Good job it wasn't Jeremy Clarkson saying that, or it would have been front page world wide news.

[SEEDGER]

Asian Date, is I believe a subsidiary of the site Anastaisia.com

Which was started by two Americans living in Kentucky; since then they moved their corporate offices to Maine.

The site Anastasia.com in the early 2000’s was legitimate; I know I traveled to Ukraine with them to meet incredibly beautiful women.

Now with a major war pending all you have to do is to fly to Kiev, lick a one hundred dollar bill and stick it to your forehead and you’ll have more girls then you know what to do with!

[Mcffee]

Now they are famous. Isnt this what they wanted?

Obviously the women that are involved want control of their own image and how it is used, and they don't want to be hounded by guys thinking they are sex workers. Not every Thai women aspires to be your sex slave.

The one on the website cover looks like a typical gold digger anyway.

[falangjim]

"...Asiandate.com, a dating site serving those stricken with yellow fever."

Khosad English, an on-line rag stricken with horrible writers.

Try reading the article more slowly... nowhere does Khaosod English mention 'yellow fever'...

Thank you. I stand corrected. It is Coconuts with the crappy writers.

[Sparkles]

Now they are famous. Isnt this what they wanted?

Obviously the women that are involved want control of their own image and how it is used, and they don't want to be hounded by guys thinking they are sex workers. Not every Thai women aspires to be your sex slave.

The one on the website cover looks like a typical gold digger anyway.

You can tell a typical gold digger just by her looks,that's amazing.........please enlighten us to what to we should look for