Dating can be tough and finding love even tougher. As you get older, finding the perfect match can seem nearly impossible. That’s why some people are willing to shell out thousands of dollars for matchmaking services.
A group of B.C. women say they paid big bucks to BC Matchmakers with big hopes of finding true love. But their relationship soured with the company after they say it failed to live up to their expectations.
“It was a complete waste of time,” said Marion Whiting, who paid the company $2,000 for personalized service to help screen men.
Each was promised a certain number of referrals and each paid a different amount of money for the service.
"It was over a thousand but in American dollars," said Louise Silverman, who tried to cancel her contract but couldn’t.
Silverman says she was promised five dates but after a year and half says she had only been on two.
Marlene, who paid $2,000 for the service, says she went on three dates in about nine months.
“I had to fight to get those dates,” she said.
"It was over $8,000,” said Yolanda S. who was promised 12 dates but a year later she says she hasn’t had one date.
As for some of the matches the women received?
"Totally unsuitable, both of them,” said Whiting, “I couldn't sit this close to him for his body odor. He said that he kissed a girl once when he was 16 but he didn't really like it."
All four women asked for a refund but none got one.
"I called the very next day. I spoke to Denise and I said I want to cancel, I've had buyer’s remorse," said Sliverman.
CTV reached out BC Matchmakers and Denise Rai, the regional director agreed to sit down to talk with us.
"Refunds for us is not an option and it says it in their agreement,” Rai stated, “They don't have a cooling off period."
And she says there’s no guarantee of when the matches will be made.
"There's no time frame. We say zero to eight for the first one and then up to 16 weeks it could take depending on people's schedule," she said. "It seems to me the group of ladies that you have wanted out from the beginning and when you're not happy from the beginning, it only gets worse."
"I feel used because this is the whole reason why I, sorry,” said Yolanda, breaking down as she described her story. She says she suffers from a brain injury which is why she says she paid $8,000 for her to get help to screen men.
“And instead they took advantage of me,” she said.
Rai told CTV News that Yolanda’s account had mistakenly been put on hold which is why she didn’t get any referrals.
"If we have her money still and she didn't get a refund then I will make sure this woman is taken care of," Rai stated.
Rai said she would reach out to the owner to try to see if she could get Yolanda her money back. She later called CTV News to say the owner, Shane Weisberg, had said, "no" to a refund.
BC Matchmakers says it will still work with her, but Yolanda has lost trust in the company and says she no longer wants anything to do with it.
In March 2017, Consumer Protection BC investigated complaints from consumers who alleged BC Matchmakers misrepresented the currency it charged consumers, misrepresented the price, didn’t issue refunds to those who cancelled and did not cancel future payments or changes on cancelled contracts.
The company denied wrongdoing but signed an undertaking to address the concerns in its contract. Scroll down or click here to read more.
CTV News dug further into the company and discovered 22 complaints with BC Mainland’s Better Business Bureau. In October 2017, BC Matchmaker’s BBB accreditation was revoked for failure to meet the BBB standard of “Embody Integrity.”’
“We just took a look at that big picture and the complaint volume here and said you don't pass our standards of trust at the moment," said BBB Mainland BC Communications Advisor, Evan Kelly.
BC Matchmakers is also affiliated with Spokane Matchmakers in Washington which has also had complaints.
And, Shane Weisberg, the owner of BC Matchmakers, is listed as the owner of Colorado Springs Matchmakers which has been the subject of complaints and an alert from the BBB of Southern Colorado in November 2017.
Also, Denise Rai is listed as the director of Santa Barbara Singles which had its BBB accreditation revoked in November 2017.
CTV News also discovered seven civil lawsuits filed against the company by other customers. One case was dismissed, one was settled, and five got judgments against BC Matchmakers - with one of those cases being appealed by the company.
“So there are some problems. I don’t deny that,” said Rai.
She says she’s confident she can turn things around.
“Of course I can if they give me the opportunity I can guarantee I can make them happy," Rai responded.
Because she says she’s had many successful matches.
“I’ve got marriages and babies and grandbabies under my belt too,” Rai said.
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