CONSUMER ALERT

MIKE COX

ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Attorney General provides Consumer Alerts to inform the public of unfair, misleading, or deceptive business practices, and to provide information and guidance on other issues of concern.

DATING SERVICES

Stay Safe and Avoid Financial Heartache

Complaints against matchmaking and online dating services are on the rise and many consumers looking for love find heartache and financial disappointment.  The tips immediately below apply to all types of dating services.  Tips specific to online or location-based services are listed later.

Risks consumers should be aware of:

• Financial risks -- being saddled with an expensive contract costing $5,000 (or more) that does not provide results but cannot be cancelled, possibly leading to collection efforts and negative information that affects your credit report and credit score;

• Security and safety risks -- becoming a victim of stalking or identity theft if your personal information is misused by other dating service members, company employees, or others who gain access to information about you.  In addition, most dating services do not perform criminal background checks on members;

• Privacy risks -- having your personal information made available to a wider audience than you expect, such as your co-workers or family members.

The Attorney General recommends:

• Say NO to high-pressure sales presentations with "now or never" offers -- unless time is truly of the essence (such as an emergency), any legitimate business will allow consumers time to study a complex, expensive contract and reflect on whether to sign it;

• Read your contract carefully before signing it -- including all "fine print" -- so you know exactly what you're buying.  Some contracts make it easy for the dating service to avoid responsibility but difficult for consumers to get their money back;

• Be extremely suspicious of any requests for money, especially before you have met the person face to face.

• Be cautious with your personal information.  This includes financial information, contact information, photographs of yourself, etc.  For an example of what one website may disclose about you to anyone, for free, visit www.Zabasearch.com and search for information about yourself;

• Never agree to meet for the first time in a private setting.  Insist on meeting in a public place where there are sure to be other people around. Tell a member of your family or a friend where you will be and when you will contact them again after the meeting.  Arrange your own transportation to and from the meeting and have a working cellular phone with you, if possible, with a pre-programmed, one-touch emergency number.  And leave all available information about the person you will be meeting with your contact;

• Contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division or your local police department if you believe you have been treated unfairly or fear for your safety.  (Contact information is provided at the end of this alert.)

Online Dating -- Privacy and Security Risks

In order to register for an online dating service, consumers are often asked to provide exhaustive personal information.  How this information will be handled varies widely between companies.   Most companies keep certain information private while making other details available to other members or even to anyone with Internet access.  And as the recent wave of security breaches demonstrates, hackers are capable of pulling information out of company databases thought to be secure against intruders. 

Here are a few tips for online dating services:

• Read the site's privacy policy, terms of service, and any membership agreement or contract very carefully.  Privacy policies should be straightforward and tell you exactly how information you submit may be used, and the membership agreement or contract should also be clear.  While many online dating services are inexpensive, some are not;

• Do not use an e-mail address you use for other purposes and avoid using any address that contains your name or your employer's or school's name.  Instead, use an e-mail address from a service that will permit you to open an account without giving out your personal information.  Be sure to check with your e-mail provider for terms and conditions of use.  Do not give out even this e-mail address too readily;

• Do not use a telephone number that can be traced to you through directory services.  Check with your cellular service provider to find out whether third parties can associate your name with your cellular phone number; 

• Report abusive communications to the webmaster of the dating service.  If the behavior continues, and you feel unsafe in view of the personal information you have disclosed, call your local police department. 

Location-based Dating Services

Location-based or "real-world" dating services sometimes involve contracts with high costs and little chance of cancellation by the consumer.  Contracts can easily run $1,000 -- even $10,000 contracts are not uncommon.  Again, consumers should scrutinize contracts before signing.