Were the profiles on Ashley Madison predominantly fake?

The revelation following the 2015 data breach of Ashley Madison, a website designed to facilitate extramarital affairs, indicated that a significant number of profiles on the platform were not genuine. Investigations and media reports suggested that many of the female profiles were created by the company itself or were otherwise automated bots or fake accounts. This was purportedly to give an impression of a substantial female user base, thereby attracting more male subscribers who form the majority of users seeking such services. Although not all profiles were fake, the presence of these fabricated personas has raised questions about the site's practices and the real chances of forming legitimate connections through the platform.