What kind of person signs up for a Classmates.com account pretending to be somebody else? And worse, who would sign up as a dead person — a murdered dead person??
That’s what classmates of Mary Cronin would like to know. Mary disappeared in 1992, and her remains were found a year later. Her unsolved murder was unsettling at the time, and now it is once again. Her classmates with accounts at Classmates.com recently received one of those ubiquitous emails announcing a new member they may know…
“Remember Mary Cronin? Say hi to the newest class of ‘83 alum to join.”
Classmates.com commented to news station KMTV:
Classmates regrets any pain caused to Mary’s family and friends. Mary’s sign up could have been a mistake during a user’s search or it’s malicious.
Mary’s classmates are up in arms about this email, and some feel that Classmates.com was somehow remiss by letting this happen. There’s speculation that Mary’s murderer may be behind the whole thing, and there’s even talk of filing a complaint with the Attorney General’s office.
But pretty much anyone can sign up for anything using whatever name they chose. I don’t know how Classmates.com could double check every member’s identity… What are they going to do, require you to send your birth certificate during the sign-up process?
That said, this is still a fail. A sad fail.
