This morning, I was contacted on twitter by a reader and by txt from my ex-wife to say that a profile had appeared on a dating website that was using pictures and information that made it appear to be me.

I won’t name the site as I have written to them asking for them to find the profile and remove it. Provided they do so that will be the end of the matter for me.

But it raises a very interesting issue. My twitter and facebook profiles have pictures and information that can be copied. I don’t mind, as by writing for public consumption I put myself in the public eye. What I hadnt expected was to be impersonated.

Some poor female (presumably) could be chatting to ‘me’ on this dating website. ‘I’ could be saying anything. The potential for damage is huge. My impersonator might arrange to meet his new ‘friend’. Then suppose something happens, a crime is committed, and the cops come looking for Matt Johnson? Suppose the lady consents to sex, thinking they are with me? That would be rape by impersonation!

They say that impersonation is the sincerest form of flattery. Blow that!

For the record, I am not registered with any on-line dating agency anywhere or of any kind. If you are a victim of this impersonator then report him, and quick!

Addendum 22/2/13. And a warning to ladies who use dating websites. It seems the use of other people’s identity is quite commonplace, and is often used to establish a cyber connection. The identity thief has no intention of meeting females. What these men do, it seems, it to seduce ladies into exchanging photos, and the more pornographic the better. The lady thinks she is sending pictures of herself to a personality but in fact it it some some seedy little guy sitting at home on his PC tricking women into sending him dirty pictures. Be warned girls – don’t fall for it!