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{{Short description|Matchmaking service}}
{{For|the aircraft|Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2}}
{{About|the matchmaking service|other uses|BE2 (disambiguation){{!}}BE2}}
{{multiple issues|
{{Notability|Companies|date=March 2010}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2010}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2010}}
{{Orphan|date=March 2017}}
{{Orphan|date=March 2017}}
}}


{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
|name = be2
|name = be2
|logo = Be2-logo-300px.gif
|logo = Be2-logo-300px.png
|logo_size = 150px
|logo_size = 150px
|type = [[Limited liability company|LLC]]
|type = [[Limited liability company|LLC]]
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}}
}}


'''Be2''' is a matchmaking service in 37 countries.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nma.co.uk/news/be2-uses-online-push-for-uk-launch/37766.article |title=Be2 uses online push for UK launch &#124; News &#124; New Media Age |access-date=2010-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929165914/http://www.nma.co.uk/news/be2-uses-online-push-for-uk-launch/37766.article |archive-date=2011-09-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
'''Be2''' <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://venturebeatprofiles.com/company/profile/be2?overlay=1|title=be2 Overview|last=|first=|date=|website=venturebeatprofiles.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-12}}</ref> Internationally, be2 is represented in 37 countries.<ref>http://www.nma.co.uk/news/be2-uses-online-push-for-uk-launch/37766.article</ref>Mainly known for its unfair ([[scam]]) practices.<ref>{{cite news |title=Love bytes: The danger of online dating scams |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/love-bytes-the-danger-of-online-dating-scams-20140106-30cuv.html |accessdate=15 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=北市府消費警訊 交友網站BE2消費爭議百般刁難 |url=https://news.cnyes.com/news/id/3602891 |accessdate=15 May 2019}}</ref><ref>[http://antibe2scam.blogspot.com/ ANTI BE2 SCAM]</ref><ref>[http://www.datingscams.co.uk/dating-site-scam-reviews-starting-with-b/be2-co-uk/review/]</ref>


==History==
==History==
be2 was founded as a German matchmaking service in 2004 by online entrepreneur Robert Wuttke and Andreas Etten.<ref>https://www.linkedin.com/be2</ref> The German Service went live on April 1, 2004.<ref>http://www.ftd.de/karriere-management/management/:enable-warum-in-die-ferne-schweifen/294783.html {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20120525011445/www.ftd.de/karriere-management/management/:enable-warum-in-die-ferne-schweifen/294783.html |date=2012-05-25}} IT-development for be2, Financial Times Deutschland</ref> The same year, the Spanish and Italian service were added.
be2 was founded as a German matchmaking service in 2004 by online entrepreneur Robert Wuttke and Andreas Etten.{{cn|date=December 2019}} It went live on April 1, 2004.<ref>http://www.ftd.de/karriere-management/management/:enable-warum-in-die-ferne-schweifen/294783.html {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120525011445/www.ftd.de/karriere-management/management/:enable-warum-in-die-ferne-schweifen/294783.html |date=2012-05-25}} IT-development for be2, Financial Times Deutschland</ref> The same year, the Spanish and Italian services were added.
Since its foundation, be2 has expanded rapidly, mainly through a strategy of internationalisation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.onlinepersonalswatch.com/news/2008/12/robert-wuttke-be2-ceo-and-founder-interview.html|title=Robert Wuttke, Be2 CEO And Founder Interview|last=|first=|date=2008-12-20|website=Online Personals Watch|access-date=2018-09-12}}</ref>

==Facts==
be2 has allegedly almost 30 million registered members worldwide; however, on viewing the site, most have fake profile images which suggest fake members. The site traps people who enter an into a one-month membership and into a profile which they cannot cancel or delete.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.be2.com/|title=Matchmaking service from be2 - start now!|website=www.be2.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-12}}</ref> It remains unclear how many of these members are active and how many have a premium membership. They falsely advertise a scientific approach to dating with fake testimonials. On researching be2 it seems most members are trying to get out of their memberships because they are being solicited for membership fees they didn't agree to. Some times ten times the amount of the initial first months fees.

==Membership==
be2 is based on a scientific model of analysis that uses psychological, anthropological, and sociological criteria to assess the compatibility of two personalities for finding not just any partner, but the one that is right for a specific user.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.top10irishdatingsites.org/rating-be2-ie.html|title=Be2 Rating|website=www.top10irishdatingsites.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-12}}</ref> The registration, personality test and the basic matchmaking service are free of charge. In order to write messages and see other members’ profile photos, members need to purchase a Premium Membership.

However, according to research, this system is flawed (see Criticism-bottom paragraph).

==Criticism==
This company is by some considered to be a [[scam]].{{ref|http://lucieanne.hubpages.com/hub/Be2-dating-is-a-scam-Beware}} They are ubiquitous and keep erasing warnings about their extortion of money from people. Warnings about the company can be found in various locations on the Internet.{{ref|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dl55UEWWUw}}{{ref|http://twinstiarasandtantrums.com/be2-be-warned-internet-dating-at-its-worst/}}

Blogs, review sites and online forums repeatedly report complaints about the company. The investigator in TheHookupGuy and MeetWomenOnline concluded: "We were more than disappointed in this scam dating website. A better word for it would be mortified!".<ref>meet-women-online.co.uk/site-reviews</ref> A blog was created for the exclusive purpose of such complaints.<ref>[http://antibe2scam.blogspot.com/ ANTI BE2 SCAM]</ref><ref>[http://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/www.be2.co.uk be2 reviews]</ref> Sitejabber published 41 reviews (as of 12 May 2015), mostly scathing, detailing aggressively misleading marketing practices, hidden charges, unwanted subscription into recurring expensive payment, charges applied to dormant accounts, obstructions to termination of contract and profile, and so forth. Other sites, such as DatingScams.co.uk<ref>[http://www.datingscams.co.uk/dating-site-scam-reviews-starting-with-b/be2-co-uk/review/]</ref> and ScamBook<ref>[http://www.scambook.com/company/view/6361/Be2-LLC]</ref>, report similar findings.

In particular, The pricing of Premium Memberships are regular causes for complaint.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://onlinedatingpost.com/archives/2008/11/be2-raises-e15-million/|title=be2 Raises €15 Million - Online Dating Insider|date=2008-11-13|work=Online Dating Insider|access-date=2018-09-12|language=en-US}}</ref> The membership is, in fact, a subscription, which is automatically renewed, unless the membership is cancelled in due time. However, complaints were received where premium account-cancellation was, in fact, impossible.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2009/oct/10/be2-online-dating|title=Mum's tied up with Be2 online dating|last=Playle|first=Steve|date=2009-10-09|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-09-12}}</ref>According to dissatisfied former customers, it is difficult to cancel a subscription, the cancellation of a credit card being claimed as the only option with collection agencies being a possible consequences.

Although the online address makes the company appear to be registered in the UK (be2.co.uk), it is actually based in Luxembourg. Its practices are considered illegal by the Danish Consumer Council.
The journalist Troels Jørgensen from TV station DR has rated BE2's matching system as flawed. Wildly different profiles were matched to exactly the same potential partners in a test performed for consumer rights programme Kontant. '''Also, membership is extended without consent''' which is illegal according to The Danish Consumer Council.
<ref>http://fpn.dk/rettigheder/markedsforing/article2317580.ece</ref> This is also illegal in Sweden according to The Swedish Consumer Council. All the questions raised by the Danish journalist in the programme have since been addressed by the company. be2 made several changes to its service in Denmark in response to the programme.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}

==International==
Internationally, be2 is active in 38 countries on all continents; it is in [[Argentina]], Australia, Austria, Belgium, [[Brazil]], [[Chile]], Denmark, France, [[Finland]], [[UK|Great Britain]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Hungary]], India, Ireland, Italy, Canada, [[Croatia]], [[Colombia]], Mexico, [[Netherlands]], New Zealand, Norway, [[Philippines]], [[Poland]], [[Portugal]], Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, [[Singapore]], [[South Africa]], Spain, [[Taiwan]], [[Czech Republic]], [[Ukraine]], [[Venezuela]], and the United States.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.be2.com/be2/international.html|title=International {{!}} be2|website=www.be2.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-09-12}}</ref>

==Other Brands==
These sites under Insparx share the same address in Luxembourg:
be2, Academic Singles, C-Date, Lisa18, Singles 50<ref>[https://dating-affiliates.insparx.com/]</ref><ref>[https://www.affiliatesummit.com/exhibitors/be2-c-date-singles50]</ref>


== Controversies ==
==Related Company==
The journalist Troels Jørgensen from TV station DR has rated be2's matching system as flawed. Wildly different profiles were matched to exactly the same potential partners in a test performed for consumer rights programme Kontant. {{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}Also, membership is extended without consent which is illegal according to The Danish Consumer Council.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://fpn.dk/rettigheder/markedsforing/article2317580.ece |title=Dating-siden scorer - dine penge |access-date=2011-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128025139/http://fpn.dk/rettigheder/markedsforing/article2317580.ece |archive-date=2011-01-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This is also illegal in Sweden according to the Swedish Consumer Council. All the questions raised by the Danish journalist in the programme have since been addressed by the company. be2 made several changes to its service in Denmark in response to the programme.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}
These Company are founded or managed by Robert Wuttke: 10x Group, Insparx, CPA Invest, Elevation Invest, HOCH 2 Invest<ref>[https://angel.co/robert-wuttke]</ref><ref>[https://www.northdata.de/Wuttke,+Robert,+M%C3%BCnchen/fqb]</ref><ref>[https://www.northdata.de/be2+Germany+GmbH,+M%C3%BCnchen/HRB+183142]</ref>


==References==
==References==
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100224032232/http://corporate.be2.com/ Corporate Page]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100224032232/http://corporate.be2.com/ Corporate Page]


[[Category:Online dating services]]
[[Category:Online dating services of Germany]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Confidence tricks]]
[[Category:Confidence tricks]]

Latest revision as of 10:39, 7 June 2024

This article is about the matchmaking service. For other uses, see BE2.
be2
Company typeLLC
Founded2004
FoundersRobert Wuttke, Andreas Etten
Headquarters
Armenia Edit this on Wikidata
Ownerbe2 LLC
Number of employees
180 (2010)
Websitebe2.com

Be2 is a matchmaking service in 37 countries.[1]

History

[edit]

be2 was founded as a German matchmaking service in 2004 by online entrepreneur Robert Wuttke and Andreas Etten.[citation needed] It went live on April 1, 2004.[2] The same year, the Spanish and Italian services were added.

Controversies

[edit]

The journalist Troels Jørgensen from TV station DR has rated be2's matching system as flawed. Wildly different profiles were matched to exactly the same potential partners in a test performed for consumer rights programme Kontant. [citation needed]Also, membership is extended without consent which is illegal according to The Danish Consumer Council.[3] This is also illegal in Sweden according to the Swedish Consumer Council. All the questions raised by the Danish journalist in the programme have since been addressed by the company. be2 made several changes to its service in Denmark in response to the programme.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Be2 uses online push for UK launch | News | New Media Age". Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
  2. ^ http://www.ftd.de/karriere-management/management/:enable-warum-in-die-ferne-schweifen/294783.html Archived 2012-05-25 at archive.today IT-development for be2, Financial Times Deutschland
  3. ^ "Dating-siden scorer - dine penge". Archived from the original on 2011-01-28. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
[edit]
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