Matchmaking site sues felon over misrepresentation

Dallas (TX) - Internet dating service True.com has filed a civil lawsuit against a man it says was a convicted felon and then lied about his background in his online profile.

The suit alleges that Floria resident Edward Hodges was convicted in 1995 for charges of lewd and lascivious acts. True.com’s policy says that "anyone whose name has a U.S. felony or sexual offense conviction recorded in this database is prevented from communicating with TRUE members."

Because Hodges allegedly misrepresented his felony status, the site says he endangered the site and is entitled to damages. True.com filed a similar lawsuit in 2005 that resulted in victory, including a monetary award.

True.com says the action is more about sending a message than it is earning money. The site donated the money from the 2005 case to the Safer Online Dating Alliance.

"We simply want to raise the awareness of online daters in Florida about the protection they have when they look for love online. It’s clearly something that doesn’t take a lot of work, but could potentially save someone’s life," said True.com CEO Herb Vest.