Match.com Failed to Warn a Possible Scammer

On 2/21/19, I paid $98.96 for a Match.com Membership through PayPal.com.  I went to LOOK at my "MATCHES"  ASAP.  I discovered that ALL my MATCHES' "FACES"  were BLURRED!! THIS is FRAUD as I was NOT able to USE the SERVICE!!   I have FILED a DISPUTE on PayPal.com and have  CONTACTED Match.com regarding this issure  TWICE. 

Today, I, AGAIN contacted PayPal to RESOLVE this Issue. I used their "On Line Chat" and gave them all the details of my DISPUTE ---only to be TRANSFERRED to THREE Different Customer Service Reps--the First was a woman called Shirahi who was "In Training" stated she "Couldn't Help Me." The Second woman's name was "Pavitarin" and she "Couldn't Help Me" either. Still in "Chat" the third person said she was a"Dispute Customer Service Rep" and gave me 3 websites to contact on PayPal.

Also, if a purchase is LESS than $99.00 (mine being $98.66) on PayPal, they charge you a 26% INTEREST RATE.  Please Help Me Receive a REFUND this FRAUD/SCAM!

 Thank You !

You were candid, so I will be equally candid.  If you truly have never dated before, this is not the time or the way for you to start.

Of course you don't have any intention of getting scammed.   You also don't indend on getting robbed while walking down a dark alley at 2AM with $1000 in cash in your hand.  But do you think that the robber cares?  The common theme here is that whether they are scammers or robbers their primary goal is to take advantage of that and take you for everything they can.

I really wonder how you giving up close to 200K to this scammer makes you overly cautious. Are you saying if you weren't as cautious you would have lost more money? The fact is you were NOT overly cautious, I would call you a cross between naive and gullible. Both are very bad traits when looking for a relationship  on-line or in the "real" world.

If you have this much money to throw around, I would give you another suggestion if you are truly looking for a relationship and don't have the time. Look into professional "Matchmakers". These people can be quite pricey, but if you have the money they can be worth it. The good matchmakers will fully vett and check out their clients to make sure that they are legitimate. However, like the dating sites not all are good, and some are there to just separate you from your money. So the common theme here is..use your COMMON SENSE. In your case I would even have a trusted friend help you with this as they can be a very good advocate for you and keep you from making too many mistakes.

There are a lot of fake profiles on sites like this - romance scams are the biggest money maker for scammers because the predators are preying on vulnerable and possibly even broken hearts.  You may have had no intention of getting scammed, but the scammer has every intention of fleecing you.  Someone referred to you as gullible - I mean that barely scratches the surface of how absolutely without thinking you are here.

These sites are not for people who are naive.  Do NOT sign up for any of these dating sites - you go into these things without thinking and that's a good way to loose a lot of money.  Go to your church and find somoene nice there to meet.  You may even find someone with the same amount of faith as you.

I will be quite candid.

When I signed up for match.com, I never expected a fake profile to come through period. In fact, this was really my first time trying dating not just online, but anywhere. I put so much work in my job that at some point I wanted to try the dating scene.

Plus, with all the news of what had been going on and most men having been allegedly involved in sexual harassment cases, I was being to feel that I wanted to do my part in some way with this relationship. Maybe I was too overcautious, but I want to be mindful of what had been going on in recent news.

Let's face it: a person like me who does not have a lot of time socially needs something to try to get his feet wet, but also realizes that there are other family commitments.

How on earth did you manage to accumulate $200,000 when you're obviously extremely gullible? We can only hope that you remain a person of significant means for whom this loss was not the sum total or majority of your worth.

Do NOT ever give strangers anything, ever, never! You want to help people in a fix, find a reputable local charity, if any exist, and I fear I'm skeptical of just about all of them.

What is your situation that led you to do what you did? Spell it out here so others who might otherwise do the same can see themselves in what you did and stop themselves in time.

As for Match dot com, I can sooner see them guilty of a ripoff than Verizon, who you also blame. Verizon just did what your actions dictated they should do, service phones you bought.

I'm sure Match doesn't do nearly as much as they probably ought to do, or COULD do, but regardless of what you or I think, technology does remain limited to combat this kind of fraud. There are limits on what they're allowed to ask for, or are set up to ask for when people sign up. Ultimately, you have to employ common sense.

Just because you are a Catholic or Christian doesn't mean that you let your common sense go out the window, in fact it is just the opposite. I am not going to get into a Bible-thumping session here, so I would just suggest that you have a good sitdown with one of the pastors at your Church where they can hopefully provide you some assistance and guidance.

There is no way you can expect any company to be able to stop and be proactive about 100% of their posts to verify if they are a scam or not. This is why regardless of where you look for possible mates, you need to be very careful so you don't end up being taken for a lot of money..or worse. As you hear many horror stories where people have been killed by connections made with online dating.

Now, if you have this much money to "lose", I would suggest to hire a Private Investigator and see if they can track down this person.  If you are lucky they are in the US and you may be able to go after them.   You may be able to get them on some criminal charges, otherwise it may be a victory in name only if they no longer have the money to pay you back.

Good Luck