Local Men Accused Of Mistreating Escorts Say It's A Scam
BOSTON (CBS) - It's a modern day scarlet letter that's affecting dozens of men around the country including many in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. They've been "outed" online for hiring escorts and exposed for mistreating them on a site called badboyclientlist.com.
The problem is many say it's a scam and they've never used an escort service. "It was scary, it was an invasion of privacy. I was shocked it was there," said one man whose name is on the list but didn't want to reveal his identity. He worries about his reputation, saying he's never contacted an escort, and assumes someone found his name on a business website. "If people go on that site and see my name there what will they think. They'll asume the worst," he said.
A Plaistow, New Hampshire man sued the site to have his name removed and won citing embarrassment and mental anguish. His attorney calls the website a fake. "The motive behind it is blackmail, extortion and harrassment," said Robin Partello.
She says someone, supposedly from the site, contacted her client telling him they had his personal information. Then a person she calls an "alleged" attorney told him it could be removed for a retainer fee of $4,000. He contacted police.
They are mostly businessmen who see to fit a profile of success. The man who spoke to WBZ-TV says he won't spend the money to sue, and hopes his reputation prevails. "Denying it isn't as powerful as the accusation. If you accuse somebody of something it sticks" he said. A suit against another website, National Blacklist was dropped, when the site agreed not to post any more information about the New Hampshire man.
