Visa, MasterCard drop Backpage.com after sex trafficking claims

Visa, MasterCard drop Backpage.com after sex trafficking claims

http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/02/news...ion/index.html

It just got tougher to post an ad for "adult services" on Backpage.com

Visa (V) and MasterCard said this week that they will no longer let cardholders make any purchase on the classified advertising website, which is best known for its mature content.

The move was prompted by a campaign waged by Sheriff Tom Dart, of Cook County, Illinois. Dart sent letters to both companies alleging that the classified ad website is used for sex trafficking and prostitution. He estimates Backpage.com generates over $100 million in revenue annually from adult advertising.

"It has become increasingly indefensible for any corporation to willfully play a central role in an industry that reaps its cash from the victimization of women and girls across the world," he wrote.

Dart said his department has made over 800 arrests related to the site, including more than 50 sex-trafficking and prostitution busts and a juvenile sex trafficking arrest last month.

Dart also sued Craigslist in 2009 for advertising similar services, and that website later shut down its adult section. Dart told CNNMoney that he wants to show the public how "horrific" prostitution and sex-trafficking are.

"We cannot turn a blind on this and pretend this is some twisted 'Pretty Woman' situation," Dart said.

Representatives for the Dallas-based Backpage.com had no comment.

"MasterCard has rules that prohibit our cards from being used for illegal or brand-damaging activities," said spokesman Seth Eisen.

Visa's statement said that the company "has a long history of working with law enforcement to safeguard the integrity of the payment system, and we will continue to do so."

Earlier this year, American Express (AXP) announced that it stopped doing business with Backpage.

According to Dart's office, Bitcoin is now the only currency that can be used on Backpage.com.


CNNMoney (New York) July 2, 2015: 2:36 PM ET

So visa is working with the LE wtf this shit crazy.

do not try the bitcoin payment option. just sayin

however if BP owes you a ad or more.
use that up with care like a ad a month

So visa is working with the LE wtf this shit crazy. Originally Posted by NEESE HONEY DIP XXX

well ...ya all let the fucking bolsheviks takeover ...what the fuck did everyone ...think ...would happen

...just waits till ya see ...yer futures

well ...ya all let the fucking bolsheviks takeover ...what the fuck did everyone ...think ...would happen

...just waits till ya see ...yer futures Originally Posted by Plastic Man

Can you say bleak?

In Schezuan?

Call this Dart guy what you want, a Bolo or a Nazi, he's fucking insane!

Backpage has been pretty successful fighting off this kinda bullshit for a while now. I guess for now they are making adult services ads for free. I give them credit for not caving to the pressure like CL has.

well ...ya all let the fucking bolsheviks takeover ...what the fuck did everyone ...think ...would happen Originally Posted by Plastic Man

Same thing that would have happened without the "bolsheviks". someone building a career fighting a illegal activity that doesn't generate tax revenue.

Ads are free on Backpage now. Enjoy it while you can.

I'm sure they're trying to figure out a wraparound solution to this issue.

Anyway ... post that ad! Lol Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

eh

Same thing that would have happened without the "bolsheviks". someone building a career fighting a illegal activity that doesn't generate tax revenue. Originally Posted by Ceremony

yep ...keep on ...rationalizin it ...anyways that makes ya feels ...better

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers
Ads are free on Backpage now. Enjoy it while you can.

I'm sure they're trying to figure out a wraparound solution to this issue.

Anyway ... post that ad! Lol

eh Originally Posted by offshoredrilling

A test was just run
and it was FREE

so if you do BP ads, get em in

edit add
freebie to all gals from Clients of "Odd Jobs for Hooks" research department

yep ...keep on ...rationalizin it ...anyways that makes ya feels ...better Originally Posted by Plastic Man

Rationalize what? It was a statement of fact. Didn't mean to make you feel disagreeable.

A test was just run
and it was FREE Originally Posted by offshoredrilling

I think I just viewed the 'test' ad. I hadn't seen a few of those pics, nice.

It seems a lot of ladies are taking advantage of the free advertising. Funny how free stuff brings all the 'victims' out of the woodwork.

Like it's really going to slowdown backpage that much. All they have to do is setup a "dummy" company to run the credit card charges through.

And every time one of the dummy companies gets "blocked" they just setup another. It will be like whack-a-mole for VISA and MasterCard.

A totally useless ban just done for PR purposes.

Like it's really going to slowdown backpage that much. All they have to do is setup a "dummy" company to run the credit card charges through.

And every time one of the dummy companies gets "blocked" they just setup another. It will be like whack-a-mole for VISA and MasterCard.

A totally useless ban just done for PR purposes. Originally Posted by Always Horny

Yeah, maybe, but I doubt they'll do that. Backpage, more specifically Village Voice Media, has a history of taking on 'the man' regarding their adult services advertising. I think they'll take this head on and won't back down. Allowing free ads is demonstrating this.

Has anyone looked at BP Buffalo today???
Someone tell Justa that Buffalo is booming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!