What is the biggest complaint most people have about online dating services? Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the websites themselves but rather the common billing practices used by many online dating companies. Automatic renewal is a source of unhappiness for many people who join an online dating site, but the practice known as re-billing is also a highly complained about problem.

Even if you don’t know what re-billing is you’ve probably been exposed to it many different times and maybe even fallen prey to the negative aspects of this practice. Re-billing is the term for those pop-up windows that appear after you have made a purchase online; you know the ones, they offer to give you “cash back” or future discounts just by clicking on the button and joining a service, testing out a product, or otherwise agreeing to get involved with some other company. The problem is that many of these offers are extremely deceiving, getting out of them once you have signed up is extremely difficult, and they don’t make it clear that when you sign up the original website you were on receives money for referring you.

The practice of re-billing has been a huge moneymaker for many online dating sites, but the problem has become so out of hand that the credit card industry is finally cracking down on it. Mastercard recently announced it will suspend the merchant accounts of websites engaging in deceptive re-billing activities until they make changes that include:

• Showing the billing terms clearly and up front
• Clear notice that the consumer is enrolling in a paid service
• Trial periods must be at least 10 days
• Multiple methods of cancellation must be clearly made available

So the next time you come across a re-billing pop-up ad on an online dating website you’ll be in a better position to make a good decision based on having accurate and complete information presented to you.

Dating Essentials Auto-renewal, Complaints, Fraud, Rebill, Scams, Subscriptions

It’s the beginning of the year and you’re already behind with all of the Christmas bills that are now due. So when you want to sign up for a dating service site, with its high monthly fee, how are you protecting yourself and your budget?

Before you even plunk down your credit card, you need to be aware of one thing – dating sites want to make money. But at the same time, there are a number of dating sites who simply exist to take money from people without giving them anything in return.

At least, that seems to be what US and World Report claim.

Here are some ways to make sure you are not only protecting yourself, but also getting your money back if you should be dissatisfied with the service:

• Investigate the site before you sign up – Don’t just sign up on the first site you find. Read reviews. Find out what your friends are using. Take some time to figure out whether this site seems like it’s set up to help you.
• Read the contracts – Find out how much money you need to pay and whether you will be signed up for a monthly charge from the start.
• Try to pay by check – If you can, try to pay by paper check. This way, if you’re done with the service, they can’t automatically charge you on your credit card. True, this is a rare feature in dating sites, but if possible, it’s the best deal.
• Find out who to contact with complaints before you have a complaint – This way, you can give them a call and see how helpful they are before you sign up, letting you know how helpful they will be when you are a member.
• Keep records of your charges.

Reviews Bad, Complaints, Fraud, Money, Reviews, Scam, Trust