Vinny
Calumet City,#2Consumer Comment
Sat, December 31, 2005
Just in case anyone out there thinks my thoughts on these companies is just "sour grapes" from some guy who can't get a date (which, for the record is as far from the truth as black is from white), I submit the following... The actual transcript of an on-line chat with a Support person from I WANT U on 12/19/05. Please note it is edited/condensed only for the sake of continuity, and profile names are censored for privacy purposes. Thus some time gaps, and "xxx" within profile names. Also note that even though I prove how and why their system is wrong and fraudulent, and offer intelligent "win/win" suggestions on how to make things fairer for the paying customer, and how to introduce integrity to the system, while they claim that my suggestions will be considered, to date they HAVEN'T been implemented. For the record, this rep seems to genuinely understand my complaints, and was at least responsive to them (which is more than can be said about his/her predecessors). Perhaps he/she is but another pawn in the spokes of this cyberscam wheel. This will be lengthy, but the road to truth is often that way... [03:19] (vinny) That doesn't seem like anyone is taking my concerns seriously or doing their best about anything. [03:19] (admin) I understand where you are coming from and why you feel like this about us. But unfortunately I cannot change everything back to the way they were before. [03:21] (vinny) Change what back? [03:21] (admin) Your access to your mailbox, for example. Or change your mind about our members. [03:22] (vinny) How about this... what if I search the profiles and find that all of the people I contacted during my 3-Day trial still have active profiles? That tells me that you either did the investigation and they are legit. Meaning that I am just the ONE poor guy who struck out monumentally here, or that these profiles were NOT investigated properly, and thus there is an even bigger concern here. One or the other must be true. [03:24] (admin) You could do that. [03:28] (admin) You could try searching the profiles of the members you contacted during your 3 Day Trial Membership or you could give them to me so that I can check if they are still active or not. [03:30] (vinny) The question really isn't if they are "active". The question is are they actively responding to anyone. Can that be determined? ie: Logged in within the last 30 days, etc. [03:30] (admin) I can check that for you. [03:31] (vinny) Ok, here come the names... [03:44] (admin) ezxxx94 last logged in January. plxxxe1 today, lxxxnh in August, Inxxx4u yesterday, Drxxx66 in October, lixxxlz in July, sxyxxxrl in September, enxxxne77 in May, Caxxxrl today, Joxxxre in April, Anxxxt2 in January, Paxxx25 in June, Dixxxll not found (maybe changed handle name), Plxxx09 in May, Juxxx4u in November, Wuxxxub in June, Maxxxe3 is spam-blocked, Ynxxx69 in January, Maxxxy3 is spam-blocked, Jaxxxen in July, and Nexxxck 2 days ago. [03:47] (vinny) What does "SPAM-blocked" mean? [03:47] (admin) Either scamming or harrassing in a chatroom. [03:48] (vinny) Does that mean their profiles are gone? [03:49] (admin) Yes. No one can access them. [03:54] (vinny) How long do you keep a profile as "active" when in fact they may never log in again? [03:56] (admin) They remain active if they are Free members. In the case of VIP's, their accounts expire when they do not renew them. Remember that a lot of members do not log back in once they have a couple or partner. [03:57] (vinny) Thanks for your help. Now we're getting somewhere, but it's actually helping to prove my point... 5 members out of all those I paid for the VIP membership to contact have been active since I contacted them. I can accept that maybe those 5 weren't interested in me. ALL the rest have either been SPAM blocked, or may in fact never log in again. Which means that I paid to contact members who are illegitimate and/or have false ads as they are not "ACTIVELY" seeking a companion here, even though their profile states they are. [04:02] (admin) We do not cancel their accounts in case they might be interested of using them. [04:02] (vinny) Only 5 profiles can conclusively be confirmed as "active" legitimate members. [04:04] (vinny) I could keep my ad indefinitely at your site, with no intention whatsoever of responding to anyone, and anyone who pays for the ability to contact me is wasting their time AND their MONEY. [04:04] (admin) Yes. [04:06] (vinny) Somewhere between not requiring members to respond to other's interest, and not charging people to place a profile at your site this policy presents a real loophole. And a very real disincentive for someone to pay to contact members as a VIP. [04:07] (admin) I will submit this to my superiors in order to improve our service. [04:09] (vinny) Given that I can not possibly be the only person who has had this issue, even if I am the only one that has bothered to bring it to your attention. Clearly, do you see now why I am dissatisfied with your service and why I did not go beyond the 3-Day trial? [04:10] (admin) To my knowledge, yes. [04:10] (admin) Yes. [04:12] (vinny) If the site owner is really concerned about customer satisfaction (as opposed to making a quick buck) I have proven to you there is a very real need for change with your membership policies. [04:13] (admin) We do appreciate your concern. Thank you for your suggestions. [04:14] (vinny) Free membership should be limited to log in time (no longer than 30 days, just like free e-mail accounts). And members should be required to at least respond "no thank you" or SOMETHING to a minimum number of interest e-mails by a certain date (ie: 1/10 within 30 days) to keep their profile active. [04:18] (vinny) I would've paid to contact "ACTIVE" members, and if they weren't interested, I would've known that within a months time. It really is a win/win suggestion in my opinion. [04:18] (admin) As I told you before, we will consider them. [04:31] (vinny) Well, what about the issue with me... the fact that I paid for 30 contacts, when in fact only 5 people can be confirmed as active members? [04:32] (admin) Unfortunately there is nothing we can do. [04:33] (vinny) Ok, just know that I have proven my case here, and that I will not pay to join your site and will advise others likewise until your policies are changed. [04:34] (admin) We understand your frustration. [04:34] (vinny) As it stands, the service you are advertising and what the customer is actually getting when they become a VIP is misleading. [04:42] (vinny) I will check in to see what happens. Thanks for your patience, help, and understanding. I trust you will in fact forward my comments/suggestions. 04:42] (admin) You are always welcome. Again, at least this rep shows concern. I don't count on anything changing for the better though, and neither should anyone else. Other sites I listed are even worse in that they don't respond at all to your concerns! Some more backstory here... I'd sent numerous help requests over the past few months and got nowhere with their responses up until the above e-chat. In one years time this particular site went from offering the ability to send/read/respond to e-mail, to paying for that provision, and/or even showing an interest in a profile. I'd recently taken them up on a 3-Day VIP trial just to confirm things in my own mind. There can be no doubt now, as I've proven above the chances are very good the profiles you're interested in could be of inactive members who's ads sit indefinitely at the site, and you will have wasted your TIME and your MONEY in a feckless endeavor. Meanwhile, they will continue to take your money, and you will have no recourse, but of course your concerns will be "appreciated". Folks, I've done the research for you. AGAIN, DO NOT PAY ANYTHING TO JOIN THESE SITES!