“Melissa” Exposed

And while we're on the subject of ripoffs today: A story on a UK escort site that appeared on Wired News yesterday includes several quotes by "Melissa", described as "an attractive, intelligent and well-read 20-year-old" from Belfast who's a "internet- and media-savvy", a "full-time student of communications, and "a far cry from the clich
d call girl". But before you get out your credit card and start booking a flight to Northern Ireland, consider the fact that Melissa seems to have "borrowed" the pictures she uses in her profiles on several websites: specifically, and coincidentally, she's passing off photos of Neon at Burning Angel (whose photo Wired used yesterday to illustrate the article, though it's since been removed) and Mary and other models from Suicide Girls as her own—and whose different looks she explains with a simple "I'm now longer a brunette...I've returned to dazzling blonde!". "Internet savvy" indeed. (Maybe she was just doing research for a book contract or something?) Caveat emptor, folks!

"England's EBay for Sex" (Wired)

Links to Melissa's fake advertising trail after the jump.

"Melissa Bliss" (Tripod)
"MelissaBliss_69" (profile @ AdultWork.co.uk)
"Melissa of Belfast" (Punterweb - wonder who "Jeff" was really reviewing?)
"Melissa" @ escorts.female.uk.com and sexyescortads.com

See also: "The Good News: Neon's Not Really A Hooker" (Burning Angel)

Update In an email to Burning Angel, the "internet-savvy" Melissa apologizes for stealing Neon's photos and says she's removed all the pictures from her profiles (though several of them were still online at the above links when we last checked): "I didn't realise anyone would get hurt since we are thousands of miles apart." Hello?

Previously: Fake Yahoo! Personals, Jenny18, Fakers Exposed