As Valentine’s Day approaches, the Better Business Bureau is cautioning those looking for love to be cautious when using online, email, social media or mobile app dating services.
BBB received more than 1,100 complaints about dating services last year. Many concern billing and collection issues. Of more concern to BBB and law enforcement entities are the scams perpetrated through these services.
One Nebraska woman, who worked with the BBB on its investigation into this scam, lost nearly $400,000 after falling in love with a man she met on an online dating site.
Besides reporting romance scams on BBB Scam Tracker, consumers should also report them to the Federal Trade Commission. In 2017 the FTC received 16,940 complaints from people who had been victims of a romance scam. In 2018 there were 22,284 complaints and in 2019 the number grew to 38,851. The losses to these scams exceed a billion dollars over the past several years.
BBB published an in-depth investigative study on these romance scams in 2018, as well as a follow-up study in 2019 about the potential for romance scam victims to be used as “money mules.” These studies indicate the number of victims tends to rise around Valentine’s Day when it may be tempting to let your guard down.
Common complaints about dating services include:
- Failure to match clients with compatible singles. Complaints included non-smokers matched with people who smoke; well-educated people matched with less-educated ones; religious people matched with atheists; or matches that lived too far away or were married.
- Use of intimidating or duplicitous sales tactics: Complainants reported being yelled at, being told to not be so picky or being completely ignored by the companies involved.
- Failure to deliver: Complainants were told the service had a database of thousands of singles, but they didn’t receive the promised number of dates or introductions. Others said a singles club sponsored events to bring singles together, but the events didn’t live up to their advertising.
- Minimum enrollment period and the inability to cancel: Online dating services normally require a minimum membership period and charge a monthly fee. Contracts often are renewed automatically. Either the customer didn’t realize the steps needed to cancel the account, or the consumer took the necessary steps but billing continued anyway.
BBB offers the following advice on matchmaking and online dating services:
- Don’t fall in love with the advertising. Be skeptical of claims such as “an exclusive network of people,” “for sincere daters only” or “beautiful singles just like you.”
- Don’t give in to high-pressure sales tactics. Sales associates may tell you that a low price is only good for that day and ask you to sign a contract immediately. You should read the contract carefully and make sure you understand it.
- Know how to break up. Consumers should not assume that they will stop being billed once the contract runs out. Many online dating sites automatically renew memberships. Usually, you must call the company or send written instructions to avoid being billed again. Read cancellation policies before you sign up.
- Beware of demands by a match to send money. Some scams that match men with foreign women typically include a request to send money to pay for a trip to the United States, using a wire transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union. Scammers may also ask victims to send money with pre-paid credit cards or gift cards. The woman never makes the trip, and the money can’t be recovered.
- Do your homework. Ask to speak to other members or customers of the service about their experiences. Check a BBB Business Profile of the service by going online to www.bbb.org or by calling 800-649-6814.
