NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 12/31/12 -- In recent years, online dating sites have come a long way from their early days of social stigma; where online dating was one regarded by some consumers are little more than a passing fad, it has become a well-established and well-respected social activity, one in which many individuals have found meaningful partnerships and lasting love. According to a recent article from The Inquisitr, however, online dating sites now face a different kind of stigma, as more and more consumers discover the abundance of scammers and fraudulent profiles that clutter these dating sites. In fact, the report says that as many as one in 10 online dating site profiles are fraudulent -- a sobering statistic that has earned a comment from Reputation Changer.

According to Reputation Changer scam charges are serious business, both for the online dating sites themselves as well as for the consumers who pay membership fees to these sites. Reputation Changer's Chief Executive Officer, Cliff Stein, has opined on the Inquisitr report with a new press statement. "Here at Reputation Changer, scam allegations are always serious business, and that includes the scam allegations that surface among these online dating surfaces," says Stein. "Reputation Changer has worked with dating services in the past, and we have always found that the folks running these sites are zealous for facilitating meaningful connections among site users. That the entire enterprise would have its online reputation marred by these reports of fraudulent activity is truly saddening."

According to Stein, these acts of online fraud harm dating site members in some obvious ways. "There is a loss in trust among the members of these sites, as they come to realize just how easily they might be burned," Stein says. "This loss of trust and of faith in the system can have a toxic, corrosive effect on the entire online dating endeavor."

Stein goes on to say that these reports of fraudulent activity can also hurt the dating sites themselves. "At Reputation Changer, reports of fraudulence are taken seriously because they can do such extreme damage to an online reputation," he affirms. "Certainly, this is true of online dating services. As reports of scams and fraudulent activities become increasingly common, these online dating sites will continue to experience declining online reputations."

The consequences of a diminishing online reputation are extreme, Stein continues. "It does not matter what kind of business you are running -- your online reputation matters," says Stein. "More and more, consumers are using the Web to do their research on different businesses and brands, and if they discover that your online dating service is associated with scams and fraudulent profiles, you can bet that those consumers will take their money elsewhere."

According to Stein, a bad online reputation can result in lost clients, lost revenues, and a glut of negative publicity. "This is what we have seen across the board, not just among dating sites," he explains. "Online reputation matters more and more all the time, which is why online reputation management is vital for businesses and brands of all kinds." An online reputation management company, like Reputation Changer, can help businesses overcome bad publicity and scam reports, and ultimately to seize control over how they are portrayed online.

Reputation Changer has offered its online reputation management services to companies of all shapes and sizes, Stein concludes. "We have helped leading online dating sites to re-establish their luster among consumers," he says. "We have helped to portray these sites as the sites of choice among online daters." Reputation Changer has also provided reputation management services to Fortune 500 brands, small business start-ups, and more.

ABOUT:

Reputation Changer was launched in 2009; founded by a group of online marketing professionals and SEO experts, the company quickly established itself as the #1 online reputation management firm in the world. Delivering brand-enhancing services to businesses, brands, and individuals alike, the agency is zealous for giving companies and people control over how they are portrayed on the Web. At Reputation Changer scam allegations and bad reviews are met with decisive action.