I became a member of the biggest scam ever on 10/28/2010 when I joined Lifemates. My interview time was set for 5:00 p.m. At no time did they tell me how long the interview process would take nor did I know what would be involved. After a grueling 3 1/2 hours, and after Elle left the room to make a call to see if I was an approved candidate (as if they were going to turn me down), she returned with the contract and the fees.
First, she explained the three different packages keeping the prices concealed. After I agreed to the second option, she grabbed the contract and asked me to sign. I asked how much and she said $2,100.00. I gasped at the price as I thought it was obscene. I mentioned that I wanted time to think about it. The pressure grew harder and stronger as Elle mentioned that I did not want to waste this opportunity, that there are more men than women on the site, and that my age category was in the highest demand. She said that I would be a fool not to sign up today.
So, after a ** 3 1/2 hours I wanted to get the ** out of there. I signed the contract and was told that I did not need to read the contract as it just explained what they were willing to do for me. Feeling completely deflated and exhausted from the experience, I signed the contract and gave her my credit card, which she processed immediately. The moment the payment transaction was complete, she couldn't get me out the door fast enough. I waited several weeks for them to contact me and finally they did. They had a referral for me. His name was Mark. They told me he was 6'5", two kids that do not live with him, divorced, and went on to mention some of his other qualities, but very briefly.
Mark called me the next evening and we spoke about what Lifemates had told us about the other. I said, "they told me you are 6'5." He said, "No, I'm 6'10." I said, "they told me you have two kids." He said, "No, I have three." I said, "They told me you are divorced." He said, "No, separated." I said, "They told me the kids aren't home with you." He said, "No, my kids live with me full time." I was quite floored by the number of discrepancies I was given by Lifemates.
Mark and I met a week after for lunch, and although it wasn't awful, we had nothing in common and ended things at lunch. I called Lifemates to inform them of all the wrong details they provided me and they said, "Oh, well, that's too bad" and said that they would be contacting me again soon. Nearly a month later, they call me with a second match. Once again, the details were incorrect. Once I met my second match, it became very clear that we were not a compatible match either.
This last match they contacted me on the week of January 24th, 2011 sounded good. They said that he was 45, with brown hair, brown eyes, what he did for a living, and so on and so forth. The gentleman called me that evening. I said, "You are 45?" He said, "No, I'm 47." I was thinking, oh, here we go again. I said, "They told me you are 45 and that you have brown hair and brown eyes." He said, "I have hazel eyes."
Anyway, after a 45-minute conversation, it was clear that we were not a compatible match. We had not one thing in common, in fact, we were complete opposites on most things. It was mind boggling that Lifemates were setting me up with someone I was not compatible with, especially since that was the whole selling feature. We pay them to do the leg work and find us matches based on our compatibility. This clearly was not happening.
On Wednesday, January 26, 2011, I contacted the Lifemates office and left a voice mail message. No call back. I called again later that day. I spoke to Elle. I told her that I would like to speak with her about my membership. She said, "Oh, I will have to call you back." On Thursday, January 27, 2011, I called and had to leave yet another message.
On January 28, 2011, at around 8:00 p.m., Elle called my home number and left a message saying that she could not help me and to call the service line. However, I did call the service line on January 27th and I spoke with Natasha (apparently, the woman in charge). I told her that I would like to discuss my dissatisfaction with my membership. I explained to her what had been happening and she explained that it was to soon to expect more then what I was getting. I said that I joined based on the promises they made on matching me with compatible males. I explained that, so far, I was misled. I was told that extensive measures are being taken to guarantee that I would be matched with those I am compatible with. I told her that I was very unhappy and that I felt I was misled.
She disagreed and said that there was no way I was getting a refund. "We never give refunds" was her exact words. I said that I have read countless complaints online about them at that they have, in fact, given refunds in the past. She said that only under extenuating circumstances. I said, "You breaching our contract and not matching me appropriately is extenuating circumstances" and she disagreed. She reiterated that I would not be getting a refund and that I can feel free to take whatever step I need to to try and get it but that it would be a long, dragged out process and would never end. She then hung on me and that was that.
Shortly after that, I called the customer service line to advise them that Fergus, the very last match they sent me, was not a suitable match. She said, "Okay, did you meet?" I said, "No, we talked on the phone and based on our conversation, was definitely not a match." I said, "He likes skydiving, scuba diving, bungee jumping and I do not." She said, "You are not adventurous?" I said, "Does it say that I am on my profile?" She said no. Then, she said that she may have another match for me. "Oh, wait," she said. "Are you in a dispute right now with us?"
I said, "Well, I called Natasha to discuss my dissatisfaction with my membership and she hung up on me." The service rep says, "Oh, it says that you hung up on her." I said, "That is wrong." I am now left to believe that not only will they not refund my money, but I will no longer receive matches from them as this is clearly written on my file that I called with a complaint.
I have no idea where to turn. Based on the countless stories I have read and the undercover report CBC did on Lifemates back in January 2002, I feel nothing short of being completely scammed and taken advantage of. I have also just recently noticed that I signed their contract and paid for it on October 28, 2010. What does not make sense to me is she put October 5, 2010 on the contract, not October 28th, yet she put October 28th on my visa receipt. Strange.
To start, LifeMates does conduct extensive screening and qualifying for membership. That is why we set aside a minimum of 2 hours to interview each potential client. Every representative of LifeMates undergoes extensive training with respect to the Human Rights Code of Canada and as such, gives everyone a fair and equal opportunity to become a member based on those rights. As a private membership, we do have the ability to screen based on a number of other criteria that include, but are not limited to, such topics regarding someones ability to be bonded, financial stability and of course, emotional availability. LifeMates regularly declines petitioners based on these criteria.
In this case, Angela was enrolled on October 28th. On November 4th, she was welcomed to the membership by one of her matchmakers. The very next day, (8 days after enrolling) her first match was approved and provided. Angela then had a conversation with her matchmaker Lynn on November 12th in which she indicated that they had met for lunch the previous day. They got along well and that she would like to see him again if he had the time. He seemed rather busy in her opinion. They texted back and forth after that meeting and Angela said she would keep us posted with respect to how it was going. This feedback gave no indication that it was a horrible match.
With the second match provided, the feedback that we received from Angela was that when they met, "they had a great time, lots of laughs" and that at the end of that meeting, he was moving a little too fast for her comfort level. No indication was given that there was any significant incompatibility other than a difference in social decorum.
After receiving a call from Angela on January 27th, she was immediately put through to a Matchmaking Manager named Natasha. There was a 23 minute conversation that ended with Angela being unhappy to learn that once a client has used the service and had been dating members, that they are not entitled to a refund based solely on the fact that there was no chemistry with their matches. Our clients regularly fall in love within the first few matches and LifeMates has no way of auditing people's relationships. LifeMates' members join to find one partner, not 10, not 20. This can happen with any one of the matches we provide.
Four days later, another referral was approved and issued. This was 3 days after this complaint was penned.
Subsequently, LifeMates has continued to provide another 7 exceptional matches that have been met with both positive and constructive feedback. She continues to be an active member that is matched regularly.
Lifemates on Nov. 9, 2011