Dating-service websites prompt charges

A 65-year-old man from Delta, B.C., has been arrested in the U.S. on charges of running a series of dating-service scams targeting Americans.

U.S. prosecutors say Barrie Turner operated 200 websites offering executive dating and was paid more than $1.2 million by clients who didn't get any dating matches.

Turner was arrested Friday when he tried to enter the U.S. at the border crossing in Point Roberts, Wash., where he had a postal box that collected payments from customers.

Turner is charged with mail fraud in the operation of websites with names such as Executive Catholic Dating, Executive Gay Dating and Executive Seattle Dating.

More than 100 people filed consumer complaints about the sites, saying they paid as much as $997 for six-month memberships and were matched with fictitious people, according to U.S. prosecutors.

It's alleged that in some cases, the same picture of a supposed match was used with multiple clients, while the personal information about the match was changed to suit the geographic location of the client.

Clients who wanted to meet their match got identical emails telling them the person had decided to date someone else.