Print the value of index0
  • Report:  #337442

Complaint Review: Elite Personal Search

Elite Personal Search - Active Singles - Debra Winkler Personal Search - Models For Millionaires - Personal Search - Winkler Personal Search These are professional scam artists with an F RATING from the Better Business Bureau. They promise high quality, high end personal matchmaking but they fail to deliver. They do not have the clients they promise and they do not provide personalized service. I can't even get the owner of the company to return my calls. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE THIEVES! Lost Anegeles California

  • Reported By:
    Scottsdale Arizona
  • Submitted:
    Thu, June 05, 2008
  • Updated:
    Sun, October 18, 2009
  • Elite Personal Search
    10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 410
    Lost Anegeles, California
    U.S.A.
  • Phone:
    310-551-6600
  • Category:

I contracted with Elite Personal Search in order to be introduced to high quality, professional men who had passed a background check. I paid $6,000.00 and was promised to be introduced to 12 qualified men of my preference in 18 months. I was very specific about what I wanted, especially in my religious preference. I was told that I would have a personal matchmaker who would work with me one on one.

It took almost 2 months before I met my matchmaker after I paid the fee. I met her one time and NEVER MET OR HEARD FROM HER AGAIN. My file was passed around from one person to another. In 18 months, I only met ONE MAN. A twenty minute coffee date revealed we were not the least bit compatible.

When I complained, my file was shunted off to some one else and I never met anyone else. A few feeble attempts were made to introduce me to men OLD ENOUGH TO BE MY FATHER!!

I tried to get my money back but to no avail. I couldn't even get the CEO, Cheryl DePayne, to call me back.

This company has an F RATING FROM THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU of LOS ANGELES. The complaints didn't show up when I checked the LA BBB site prior to signing up because the company had recently changed their name!! They have done this several times and I predict they will be changing the name again soon.

I am hopeful that someone can help me get my money back.

Jimsmom
Scottsdale, Arizona
U.S.A.

5 Updates & Rebuttals


Thomas

USA

just give it time

#6Consumer Comment

Sun, October 18, 2009

You're right.  No one needs a web site or hot line.  It's best to be open minded and find that special someone the good old way.  However, did it ever occur to you that the people who use this company actually do do it the old fashioned way.  Just because someone decides to use a dating web site does not mean they just sit at home doing nothing like a zombie.  One thing has nothing to do with the other.  A person can go out on the town with a whole group of friends meeting new people on a regular basis, or ask friends and family for a possible match, or even just ask a girl out but still be on the list of a professional dating service on the web.  The more people know that you're searching the better.  Before I got married, I signed up with two other companies other than this one.  I knew that because of my severe allergies and limp in my right leg that it would be difficult for these companies to find someone for me.  Because of this, I spread the word out to all of my friends, family, and co-workers that I was looking.  It just so happens to be that I met my wife with this service rather than any of the other methods i just mentioned.  I still remain confident that if this service did not work, that any one of the other methods would have worked.  It's not fair for you to go around the web telling people that these web sites and hot lines are a waist of time.  By doing that, you are taking business away from perfectly good services when all you have to understand is that both ways are good ways to find your soul mate. 


Zachary S

Carlsbad,
California,
USA

Elite Personal Search IS bad business

#6General Comment

Sat, October 17, 2009

To all Elite Personal Search Staff that wrote rebuttals. Your clock is ticking. You have way too many complaints for just one location. A minority? So you are factoring that since only 6 people of the thousands that you have ripped off took the time to post against you on the internet that its a minority? Do you check statistics on scammed people who are passive versus scammed people who stand up for the truth? Do you live in America? Six, according to statistics is a majority; I also find it funny that you label them a minority because that infers to me that you are aware of the number of people that you've done bad business with and in fact if they do not complain publically, then your business is ok.

Every time you write a rebuttal that is as thoughtful as 'please contact us' or 'let us help you' it really clarifies how publically you are ready to fix this issue. If you can honestly suggest that even 1 person's complaint from the customer's YOU have DECIDED to do business with is a minority, then that says a lot about the quality of business you do.

I too was scammed by your LA location. I know the answer to your problems though. I would suggest that you only do business with people that can easily afford your $25,000 - find a model for me package. See, those types of people, like most of you, don't have feelings or get emotionally attached to the ideal that typically exists with a business titled like yours. In fact, I suggest that you change your business name, which would also get you off a lot of business lists like this one. You should change it to 'Find a Model for Coffee Search' -<< No charge for this ground breaking idea.

Keep your pricing extremely high and unrealistic for those of us with hearts too. $12k plus per package is a great idea. But during that first 2 hour meeting, don't drop the price, if I can't afford it, don't drop it down to $6k just because I'm a nice guy. Just tell me, I'm not the right client for you. Why? Because if I'm really passionate about finding the love of my life, it's highly likely that you will hurt me when I find out that there is no such thing as the people you speak of, that they are all in fact 'models' working as waitresses in LA, waiting for their big break, but definitely not looking for dates, because their current boyfriends would probably not appreciate that. We all know what happens when you rip someone's heart out, oh, well then again, maybe you don't. But there are some great fiction books out there that express the right idea.

The truth is; no one needs a website or a service to find the right person. They just need to open their eyes. They need to stop beings daytime zombies. Try beings yourself. Enjoy life by yourself. Crazy idea? Well hopefully that person you find is enjoying it by themselves, while looking for you. So, if you are religious, go to church. If you like exercise, join some local classes or groups. If you like eating, cook for friends. If you don't have time to search, make some... because you won't have time for a relationship either. If you hate your job, quit. If you can't stand on your own two feet, you're wrong. In the end, if you push yourself you will find that you are complete. Only after you are complete will you be able to attract to your life that perfect, whole and wonderful person of your dreams; Your success is then guaranteed.


Themessager

San Fransisco,
California,
U.S.A.

That's hard to believe

#6Consumer Comment

Tue, June 02, 2009

You just had a bad luck situation. That's normal. I've had bad luck before, but I don't cry about it. Just accept the loss.

Here's my story.

A year ago, I signed up after hearing amazing stories about them. I walked into the office in Dallas and spoke with Shelly. I went through the whole four hour interview and was very tired but very confident. I'm not the best looking guy and I guess I don't have the best personality or sense of humor. Shelly could have just lied to me by saying that it would be easy to find me a suitable match just so I would be quick to pay the fee. However, she didn't. Instead, she said "I'll try my best. No matter what, You won't be disappointed". Again, I left very confident in my chances.

For two weeks, I didn't hear from her and I wasn't happy at all. I e-mailed her and told her to contact me to let me know what was going on. After getting no reply for three days, she called me with a great excuse for not answering back right away. Her mother was in the hospital. After hearing that, I forgot all about it. So ,aybe you should take the time to give it the benefit of the doubt like I gave Shelly.

Anyway, we spoke for about twenty min over the phone about the amazing sounding girl she had for me. Her name was Allison and she sounded exactly like the kind of girl I told her I wanted. Our first date went well and we enjoyed each others company for six hours. For the next five months, Shelly listened to everything Allison and I had to say and was very helpful in leading us to the most incredible day of our lives. Our wedding. Yes that's right, this company helped me find what I was looking for despite of what you say.

Shelly was right when she promised me I wouldn't be disappointed. Not only that but I definitely think it was the smartest thing I ever did.

So there you have it. Finally an honest story. I didn't have to tell you that Shelly didn't contact me for a week because of her mother's unfortunate situation. I could have just left that part out but I didn't. I was honest and told you everything. You should try it sometime.


Diligent

Cedar Park,
Texas,
U.S.A.

Only A Minority Opinion

#6Consumer Comment

Tue, May 26, 2009

This woman clearly is not happy with the service, but to all those of you out there who are interested in trying this service, don't be fooled by this horrible review on one of the most successful dating companies on the globe. The simple fact is that this company has helped thousands of people in the recent years. They always try their hardest to give their customers the service they paid for.

My sister met her husband with this company after a year and a half of being a member. That's only one of the five people I know happy with them. Yes, maybe this woman had a bad experience, but that's a TINY percent of the people who signed up.

People are fast to post bad reviews about different companies without doing complete research before they say how the whole thing is a scam. The whole thing is not a scam. It's just a normal company that does sometimes disappoint people. Life is disappointing sometimes and that expected. So please save yourself the time by reading this woman's post and start reading beautiful things about this service. It's all over the web.


Solidreview

Burbank,
California,
U.S.A.

Do Not Base Your Decision on A Couple Angry People

#6Consumer Comment

Thu, May 07, 2009

There is a lot of misinformation on the internet, this is because it is so hard control. Every angry person such as the above reviewer gets to write as they please.

This company is not a scam in the slightest way, they have set me and a number of my friends up on very real dates. I even know a person or two that got married through their service.

What people are paying for here is real matchmaking not some pub/bar meetup. They have matchmakers that work with you as well as a very large database of names.

I am assuming that not everyone gets what they want. I myself have been set up on a number of dates that did not meet my immediate expectations. But this was on the minority of the scale. My matchmaker was always ready to listen to my feedback and work with me.

My overall feeling is that I am heading in the correct direction and have very strong hopes of still finding a spouse through them. I do not recommend that people take the advice of these few angry reviewers, there will always be a few disgruntled members. Dig deeper and you will see that they arrange thousands of successful matches a year.

Respond to this Report!