Plenty of Fish

Our experience with the dating services that generate the majority of consumer complaints is that these companies make exaggerated claims of their ability to successfully match clients. Typically though, contracts do not include provisions that would guarantee you a satisfactory match.

Complainants against many of these services allege high pressure selling, failure to provide the number of candidates promised, failure to satisfactorily match the specifications requested, and failure to acknowledge cancellation requests.

California law allows you three business days from the date you sign an agreement with the company to cancel it for any reason. The contract must inform you of this right and how to exercise it. If you do cancel within that period, you are entitled to a refund of your money within 10 days of the date the company receives your cancellation notice.

Dating service contracts must, by law, be in writing, and you must be given a copy of the contract at the time you sign it. The contract may not provide for payments or financing on your part for more than two years. It must provide that if you die, become disabled (unless your disability is expected to continue for fewer than six months), or move more than 50 miles and cannot transfer your contract to a comparable service there, you our your estate may discontinue the payments you are making. If you prepaid the charges, you or your estate is entitled to a pro rata refund.

We recommend that you make sure you understand exactly what services your contract provides for before you sign. Don’t succumb to high pressure sales, and don’t rely on verbal claims of successful matches and satisfied clients.

For businesses outside of California, please check with the agency that regulates this industry.