I didn't know that until I joined Prosper. I should have guessed it or known it based on the fact that it's just the way things work. Still, it didn't dawn on me until it was pointed out to me.
At Prosper, borrowers can upload a picture of themselves to put a face with the loan. I never really looked at the pictures. I saw them but I didn't really *look* at them. It's a picture uploaded on the net from . . . well, just about anywhere. It doesn't mean much. At least not to me but others obviously look at them.
One guy was trying to get a loan funded. I don't remember any of the details of the loan but it didn't get funded. There was something that just didn't mesh with hsi story or the numbers or something.
So he tried again. Only this time, he uploaded a picture of a model dressed to show off what she had as his picture. He didn't change any information in the text area which included his name and the obvious fact that he was a man. Lenders (that pay attention) were discussing the tactic and trying to decide whether it was false advertising or a good strategy. The borrower never said that it was a picture of him. Didn't even imply it. Several other people have pictures of things that aren't them as their picture like a cartoon character, their kids, or their pets. There is no rule that says the picture has to be of the borrower.
The loan funded.
The final vote in the forum discussion that I was participating in was that it was a good ploy by the borrower and that lenders should be smarter than that.