Great Expectations

Lyly of portland, OR November 4, 2009

I was horrified after reading all the complaints from everyone. I signed up this past Sat paying 2000.00 steep fee for so called professional mates. sales pitches are the same. I felt humiliated by falling into this trap. Now I don't a return phone call or email back. At this time, I don't think that I even want to go through the hassels of not getting the services that they described to be. 2000.00 tuition for a lesson learned. If something sounds to be too good to be true, you may just have to rethink about it. I did sense some red flags before the signing but stupid enough to still pursue it. I now have cancelled my credit card just for fear that more charges may show up. I have contact attorney general and will file a complaint for them to pursue the case.

Paula of Fredericksburg, VA November 2, 2009

I went for an interview to learn about this dating service. I was told at this interview that I would pay 29.01 a month for a one year term. I only agreed to have 29.01 taken from my checking account. Later I found they were taking 66.00 plus the 29.01 from my account. I was also told that I could cancel my membership at any time if I was not happy with the service.

The copy of the contract I have only shows the 29.01 that I would pay. And the Truth and Lending portion of the contract was left blank. There copy of the contract is different from mine. They have filled in the blanks after I signed it. I have been trying to resolve this since April, 2009,and now they have sent this to a Collection Agency. This is fraud. Also there copy shows that I signed up for 3 years which I did not.

Jeanette of Portland, OR November 1, 2009

I paid 2,000 for a dating service, professional pictures and a video. The video never made it to the website and when I contacted the office they did not return my calls or emails. I went into the office and they said they would take my profile down until the pictures could be re-done and the video added to the website. They called the next week and scheduled me to have new pictures taken on Sunday, October 25th. I went to the office for my appointment and no one was there.

I have called every day and gone by the office and no one has been there at all this past week. I just tried to go to the website to contact them and my password does not work. I have called and emailed the office many times and have had no response. I think they took my money and are not providing the service as contracted.

Jack of Thiensville, WI October 25, 2009

I was pressured to join same day or "forfeit" huge discount by a Christen. Since I had no success previously with them from ('99-'01), I had written in my new contract ('08-'13) that I would get a 50% refund in 3 years if I did not have a relationship of any "substance". When I went for my photo/video shoot, I was promised a "professional" photographer on their staff. Ashley, my photographer, told me she had taken a couple of courses and my son laughs at my pictures. To re-shoot them they would charge you an additional 295!!

She then presented me with packages I could select which included the pictures and other fluff (V-pops & Membergrams) not needed. These packages of 600+ were not mentioned during my initial signing and it was implied that I had to chose one. Never was it presented that I didn't have to chose ANY of them!! Instead of prepaying for required photos every 2 years, I could've paid the 295 at the time of the shoot! And what if I met someone or got married; the prepaid photos wouldn't have been needed! I challenged the package charge on my MC but unfortunately I had signed the 2 installment MC slips. Finally, they have now CLOSED my Milwaukee office "to serve us better" and merged with Schaumburg, Illinois - 105 miles away!! Obviously, virtually nobody from the Milwaukee area is going to drive 210 miles round trip to sign up and again for the photo/video shoot. I'm out 6500 (5900 for the 6 year membership & 600 for the prepaid package).

Sean of Fort Worth, TX October 25, 2009

I had seen an online ad for Mature Singles Dating and filled out some information. I was contacted and told they were a part of Great Expectations and asked to come in for an "interview." I do not like this kind of sales technique but decided to do something different in the ways I was dating. I went to the meeting today and spent 2 1/2 hours there. They openly asked early on how much i would spend if I could come in once a week and pick some selections. I told them that was like going to a car dealer and telling them how much you COULD spend.

Later they showed me their three price ranges from 6,500 to 7,500 and told me most people paid cash up front. I told "Taylor," I did not want or plan to spend that much. She then asked/ told me I had a problem with commitment and began with the "hard sale." As if that wasn't a hard enough pitch, she threw in the emotional sale saying "Dont you think it would be worth it to find that person?" When her spell wasn't working she walked to the door and opened it for me to leave. I left. I had considered "joining" in 4-6 months when it was more financially feasible, but after considering how she acted and the other complaints on here, i'm not. My grandmother is in the advanced stages of alzeheimer's and I'd rather spend money on her care and not some pretty girls commisions.

Regena of Akron, OH October 22, 2009

When I finally talked to them about the program they wanted me to come in for an interview. I made an appointment and then I went on line to check out the company. When I read the complaints, I began to feel very uneasy about going for the interview. When I called to cancel the appointment Jennifer began by asking me why I could not make the appointment. I told her I was having second thoughts about the program and she said, be honest, what is the real reason you are not coming in. I told her why from the beginning and she kept trying to pressure me into making another appointment. I told her I would call to make a new appointment if I decided to pursue the program.

Then she said, be honest, you are not going to call me back. I said, since you know so much, take my name out of your database so you don't call me anymore. Then she said with a very smart attitude, why would we want to call you. That is when I ended the call. I don't need to be harrassed whenever I decide to change my mind. This company is definitely not potential customer friendly. I plan to spread the word about the treatment I received when I cancelled this appointment.

Kimberly of Douglassville , PA October 18, 2009

End of 2005 I had a bad experience with Great Expectation as after they "screened" me and took my 2500.00 and an extra fee if I wanted to be able to contact anyone outside of the PA area. They told me they would have to charge for the pictures they took of me as well as I could not use any of my own. That was an additonal LARGE FEE. I was quite unhappy with their services as there were very little contact options in the PA area. They implied they had thousands of people availible to be matched up with. You rarely ever saw new faces and the ones that were showing seemed to be on a hold with their status. I tried to call the company many times to complain but the only number given to me was a voice mail and it said they would contact me back and they never did. I tried to find them on line and contact them via their website and never got a response that was either. I gave up until now that I found this web page. I think they were a big scam and I think I was lied to and taken advantage of. I want to get my money back. I would like to know how to proceed.

Melissa of Parker, CO October 10, 2009

I went in to Great Expectations, not fully aware of the broad spectrum of this company, after seeing a sign stating Single in Parker.com and checking it out. I was placed in a very small room with a woman named Sheryl who seemed pleasant enough at first. She had me watch the video and then went in to her sales pitch. After it was all said and done, an hour and a half later, I advised her that this was a great expense and I was NOT prepared to spend this much money at this time etc. She left the room, to come back with a "better deal" which I also turned down advising her specifically that I work in the mortgage industry and that I was afraid my job was not secure enough to make this type of financial obligation.

This process continued for another hour or so all the while Sheryl became less and less pleasant, at which point I began to feel as though I was never going to be able to leave this place until she got what she wanted and even though my gut was telling me this was a bad decision I agreed feeling as though I had no other choice.

I am now without a job.... as I suspected could possibly happen in this economy, I have NEVER done anything with this program even though I signed the paperwork on 05-23-09, no photo shoot, no profile, no matches but yet I have thousands of dollars in credit card debt that I am not going to be able to pay . Love is the LAST thing on my mind in these hard times and I wanted Great Expectations to be aware of what their sales people did to common every day hard working individuals just to earn a commission so I attempted to find contact information for the corporate office which doesnt seem to exist. I then emailed them at the customer service email, REQUESTING A RESPONSE and two weeks has gone by with NO RESPONSE AT ALL.

In searching for corporate contact information I found this site with these reviews, that I have decided to add to, it appears I should have done my research before even going in for a meeting with this organization.

Susan of Scottsdale, AZ October 8, 2009

After breaking up with my boyfriend of two years last Feb., I hastily entered into a contract with GE. Six days later my boyfriend and I re-connected, and when I called to cancel my membership, I was told I only had 72 hrs to cancel. Never was this told to me or shown in the paperwork/contract. After speaking to my sales person, I was told that "There are reasons people break-up". I was irrate! I tried to have a lawyer contact them to no avail. Jeri said that I needed to call and speak with her directly. I haven't even set up a profile or had pictures taken. NOTHING is in effect there except them taking my 80/mo. They still send me reminders to activate my profile and to have me come in for pictures, but next weekend I am moving in with my boyfriend and I don't want these letters sent to us because he will be upset that I was looking to replace him so soon after our break-up. Not only was I taken advantage of, I was insulted as well.

Alicia of Jacksonville Beach, FL September 22, 2009

When I signed in good faith with GE, I was led to believe that there were alot of men in the service within my age bracket but I could not see them without first becoming a member. My saleman kept citing that the reason for this was privacy of it's GE members, as it turns out it was because there are not that many!! I felt rushed to make a decision right then and there to get that "special offer" and in hind sight should not have taken the offer but I feel that I was totally taken advantage of. Not only has my membership led to 0 dates, most of the men that I chose gave no reason or never responded what so ever - only to find out later that they had let their membership expire.

On top of all this, four months into my membership, GE closed it's office here in Jacksonville. They did not notify their members and I only found out this information when I called the office and was connected to the Orlando office which has now taken over our area. When I expressed my concerns they were nice but told me I would now be able to be connected with someone in the Orlando area. This is 2-2 1/2 hours from my house. I have zero plans to relocate and do not want to be involved in a long distance relationship. When I asked about the bi-monthly activities for their members I was told that they would not be having any in Jacksonville because it was not centrally located to the Orlando office!!

I feel that I was misled and sales pressured into joining with GE and on top of all this now they close down in Jacksonville so that the membership base will not grow. I had to pay 2414. all up front to get this "special offer" and now not only do I have nothing to show for it but not even a chance in the future because the membership base in my hometown will never grow.

I'd love to hear how anyone received any compensation from Great Expectations in the past. I understand that I had three days to cancel and get my money back but after three days the company was still here working for me - now they have up and merged with another company over 2 hours away.

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