new players start at 2000 rating?

I have been running into some players on the ladder with basically 0 games and 2000 rating, many of these accounts get closed after 1 or two games by the player. Is it so that these days new players start with 2000 rating?

If so, it seems like a pretty bad idea to me, if the new players are honest they inflate the ratings in the 2000-2100 range since most of them are way worse than their starting rating. If they are not honest then 2000-2100 range gets to be the punching bag for cheat detection. 

You have to start somewhere I suppose, but why 2000? It's a pretty high level to start out with. Would make more sense to start low since most new players will not be 2000 level yet. Could be that it's just some mistake?

New members are asked to self-rate:

and are assigned 400,800,1200,1600 and 2000, respectively.  Ratings adjust quickly when users are new.

New players used to all start at 1200. Grossly misrated players were the bane of the legitimate 1200.

Now they are spread across the spectrum.  It would be interesting to see the breakdown of their choices.

Thanks for the info, I would still prefer the starting point to be lower, say 1600, but I don't want 1200 level to suffer either like you pointed out. So I guess it is what it is.

When I joined, I had no idea which to select and can't remember which one I chose now but I started at 1800.

It would be useful if the start rating was shown in brackets - although rating here are quite inflated compared to FIDE/OTB ratings.

I think 1200 is a bit high for a beginner (Challenging Chess.com's info, not yours). The bots seem to admit it! The intermediate bots have 1000 to 1400.   

Interesting observation.

As a bona fide 1200 or thereabouts who often gets slaughtered by new 800 rated accounts, and also comes up against 1600's in the second or third round of an under 1200 rated tournament, I'd rather see new members over rather than under rated!

It seems they dropped the "Expert" starting rating.

I see, I think that's a good call.

when is joined i had options up to 1600 ? even do it was "advance" level ? thank you

I flat out refuse to play these people. My confirmed experience has been that they are cheaters every single time. It just isn't worth the hassle.

You are 384 rated.

What are you talking about?

lol

i just saw several players with relativly new accounts and an 2000 start rating in all categories, so it has to be still possible? ( or they were all cheating idk)