Irving-based TRUE.com promises "safer dating online," via extensive background checks that prohibit felons from hookin' up with online lonelyhearts. Course, every now and then it doesn't exactly go as planned: Today, the online dating company announced it filed in federal court in Dallas a lawsuit against Edward Alvin Hodges Jr., a Florida man who, in 1995, was convicted of "lewd and lascivious assault on a child under 16." Turns out Ed had somehow gotten hisself a TRUE membership -- by neglecting to mention his felony conviction on his application form. TRUE eventually discovered the conviction and got Hodges tossed off the site -- and, now, he's back in prison on other charges.
It's the second time TRUE's brought a suit against someone trying to breach its security measures; same thing happened in November 2005, TRUE says. There are but two things that get you DQ'd from the site: a pesky felony conviction or a wedding ring. But that's not the most interesting thing we found in TRUE's press release this morning. Turns out, in addition to the criminal background and wedding-certificate screenings, the company says it has "a comprehensive member safety program...that further protects members each day by identifying and removing scammers and other fraudsters; reviewing e-mails, profiles and photos; and monitoring chat room discussions." The man in charge of that gig: former Dallas police chief William Rathburn, who, as you may recall, also headed security for the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984. We were thinking of asking Mack Vines if he'd do the same thing for Unfair Park, speaking of. --Robert Wilonsky
