(Yicai Global) Dec. 13 -- A number of Chinese matchmaking websites, including the country’s largest online dating platform Baihe Jiayuan, were summoned for talks by local regulators recently and ordered to smarten up their act regarding the identification verification process, the exchange of money between members and other grey areas.

The membership verification procedure at Baihe Jiayuan, Zhenai, Liangyuan and two other dating websites is practically useless, the Jiangsu Consumer Rights and Interests Protection Commission said on Dec. 10. They also have no clear rules on refunds and make false promises in advertising.

The five dating websites will do more to verify members’ personal identities by adding face recognition scans and additional checks, they said. No personal data is shared with any third party, they added. They will also offer refunds at their discretion to members who have a good reason to want their money back.

Zhenai said it will ban the exchange of money between members. Liangyuan said it will carry out regular searches for key words such as ‘money’ and remind online users that sending money to each other is not allowed.

They will also remind users who have withdrawn from the service but not yet closed their accounts to change their relationship status and delete any personal data to make sure their information cannot be searched, they added.

Editor: Kim Taylor