Complain about a product or service

Elite Personal Search

Diana of Los Angeles CA (07/23/08)
I have seen some complaints about them, and felt that I needed to add my 2 cents worth. When I started, they fixed me up with 3 men, all good guys I guess, but not right for me. I talked to my matchmaker (Jenn) and she listened to me, and we went in a different direction. THe fourth man I met I dated for a few months, but ultimately I realized I wasn't right for him. The fifth man is someone I have now dated for 8 months and we've been talking about our future alot lately. I think he's amazing, and he's exactly the kind of man I was hoping to be introdued to.

When I read complaints from other people I read between the lines and they don't seem like they are happy people to begin with. Isn't it important to be a good person, and happy with yourself to attract a good person who is also happy with themselves?

Jose of Glendale CA (07/22/08)
I was actually a little disappointed with the service when I first began the matchmaking process at Elite Personal Search. I believe that so many people that sign up for Elite Personal Search don't give it a chance. I was one of those people until Elite found the love of my life! The matchmakers at Elite never gave up on me, even when I was complaining. I have to admit it was hard at first, but when I accepted that it was not going to happen overnight, Elite came through for me. Just start going out with who Elite tells you to go out with...what's the worst thing that can happen to you? I found the love of my life because I did not give up!

Cindy of La Mesa CA (06/12/08)
I joined Elite in March of 2006. By August I had been given 3 matches. I was made a lot of promises about all the great men I would meet and must say, they were absolutly right. I am getting married this July to Ronald, whom I met through Elite. He is the man I have been looking for all my life and at 43, thought I could never meet. This is my first marriage although he is divorced. We are both professionals with good incomes and I have never been happier. I am so grateful to Elite for being there. Yes, my membership was about $8900, but worth every penny. I never would have met Ronald if not for Elite. We were in different parts of the county and our paths never crossed. I am so grateful. Thank you, Thank you!

There was no damage resulted from my interaction. My heart if full and have to say, that although I did spend a lot of money, it was worth every penny. The results of that money spent are a shared life with the man of my dreams, a much larger house that we have purchased together, a lot of laughter, a lot of fun and a future that has never been brighter!!!

Nikolay of Parker CO (05/04/08)
Here is what I wrote to Federal Trade Commission in February of 2008:

I would like to file a complaint about a company called Elite Personal Search. I know that FTC does not address personal complaints. I also know that if amount of complaints from different individuals meets certain level, FTC does investigate a company. Elite Personal Search provides matchmaking services. The company claims it provides exceptional service. Because of that I signed a contract with them. I agreed to pay them $2,950.00, they agreed to provide ?the administrative and professional matchmaking services?.

There was nothing professional in their service. In fact the service was exceptionally poor. Therefore the company breached the contract. The contract was signed on August 15th of 2007 for the term of 18 months.A ladys qualities I requested were not something extraordinary. However in my requests I mentioned that I would like to meet a woman who runs a small business. That was very important to me. In the paperwork that I sent to the company I underlined the small business request. In my phone conversations with the company representatives, in the e-mail I sent to Elite I stresses again and again that I would like to meet a woman who runs a small business. My request was never addressed.

During initial interviews with the Elite representatives I was asked if I would be willing to meet a woman from a different state. My answer was Yes. Please note, Elite claims it has dozens of thousands of clients and they arrange over 60000 successful introductions every year?. According to their web site, Elite operates in several states including several metropolitan areas like LA, San Francisco, Phoenix, Boston, and Denver. In their database must be hundreds if not thousands of single women who run small businesses.

In January they e-mailed me a survey and a letter signed by the president of the company Cheryl DiPane. Her letter stated that in order to provide clients with exceptional service? her company needed clients input and feedback. In the survey I stated that I was not pleased at all? with the service. I also stated that I would not recommend the company to friends/family. The company did not respond. They do not bother to find out what is wrong with their service despite the fact that I am still their client. Ones again the company demonstrated that their service was exceptionally poor.

I expect from the company to get full refund. That would demonstrate that the money is not the only thing the company cares about. That would also demonstrate that they care about their clients and the companys reputation.

Julie of Phoenix AZ (04/03/08)
I too had the same experiences with Elite. They obviously did not choose matches that met the criteria I asked for and they obviously did not use any of the information the collected in my interview and my personal matchmaker did not take the time to make a personal match.

Summary: I had Nothing in common with any of the matches... the fact that we both like movies and hiking does not constitute common interests or a match. There are probably a million guys in Arizona that like movies and hiking. One guy took me to a BIKER BAR, one guy never made it past a phone conversation when I found out that he had 3 young children (something I said I did NOT want)in addition to the fact that he was fired as a judge in AZ ... because you ask? ... he believed that drugs should be legalized and it caused conflict when he heard drug arrest cases.

OH and I can't forget the guy they told me was DIVORCED not only verbally but in a phone conversation... upon talking to him on the phone I find out he is still MARRIED and has been going through a nasty divorce for over 2yrs... note I told them I did not want to go out with anyone divorced less than a year... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? They would actually set a client up with a guy that is MARRIED and going through a drama filled nasty divorce? REALLY? Oh I forgot that the reason the divorce was being dragged out was because HE was dragging it out for money... not her getting HIS money but because HE wanted HER money.

I had my attorney promptly send a letter demanding a refund... which has yet to be responded to. BUT out of the blue today (4/3/08) I get an email from them wanting to know if I am ready for a match - I have not heard from them since 11/14/07 mind you.

Jeanette of Beverly Hills CA (02/19/08)
In September 2007, Elite Personal Search (EPS) fraudulently induced me into paying $3,000 for purported matchmaking services to be provided pursuant to a Membership Agreement between me and EPS. Unfortunately, it has become clear that EPS's matchmaking services are nothing more than a scam. In particular, EPS made a number of false representations to me in order mislead me into paying the $3,000 fee.

Among the fraudulent statements made by EPS were that: (1) it had an extensive database of potential candidates; (2) it would screen candidates through personal interviews to determine if they were potentially compatible with me; and (3) it would match me with candidates who met my personal specifications. In fact, these statements were patently false. The candidates presented by EPS to me did not possess any of the specifications identified by me. There can be little doubt that EPS did no screening whatsoever of these candidates, much less the personal interviews it promised to undertake. Finally, in light of the caliber of candidates presented by EPS to me, EPSs purportedly extensive database appears to be non-existent. EPSs conduct outlined above was illegal and subjects EPS to substantial liability to me for, among other things, fraud, unfair business practices in violation of California Business and Professions Code Section 17200, et seq. and violations of the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (the CLRA), California Civil Code Section 1750, et seq. I am handling the matter through a lawyer.

Natalie of Brookline MA (01/08/08)
I joined their Boston branch in April of 2007. I was promised a meeting with members for a fee of approximately $4,000.00. I wanted to think about it, but the girl who was selling the product insisted that I don't have to pay right away, that they would give me MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS without any finance charge. She took my credit card and charged me $500 initiation fee. I asked her if it was possible to change my mind, I was told that's not a problem, that they could hold my membership on hold. And I still had 3 days to change my mind and get my money back. Next day I decided not to pursue it, I called numerous times and tried to get my deposit back. I was bounced between NUMEROUS people who had put me on hour long holds and ignored or hung up on me. Finally I spoke to a manager that convinced me that I should come back to their Boston branch office for an interview and that I made the RIGHT decision. I went, had an interview with one of the girls that spent about 45 minutes asking me questions about what I am looking for. I told her that I would like to cancel my subscription . She said that it would not be a problem to put membership on hold until I am ready.

I started getting monthly bills from April on from a company named Conrad Acceptance Corporation, they threatened to send me to a collection agency if I don't pay. I paid close to $3,000 and never heard from Elite Search again, Not a single call was returned. I was not in their system. I will pursue this with a lawsuit.

$2800.00 paid and not a single day of service provided. Threatened with collections, wasted time on calls that never got answered, emotional stress.

Jeanette of Woodland Hills CA (11/07/07)
I am reading the complaints on Elite Personal Search and realize that I have been a victim of the very same scam. First, I was told about success stories of two of the matchmakers working at Elite and how they met they husband through the same service. Then I was told by Jen Turner in a 2 hour interview that Elite would find my potential husband in no time. I am very easy to match as I am an attractive brunette, with a career and simply no time to go out to meet people in bars. My expectation was to meet man with a similar income than mine (min 500K) and a similar education (graduate degree) between the age of 40 and 55.

I paid $3000 for 10 introductions. Not one intyroduction was acceptable and met my indications, eventhough I was told that Elite would have 'many suitors' meeting my requirement. They had the nerve to suggest construction workers and flaky candidates who didn't even show up. When I called Amex to decline the charge due to non-service I was informed that they could not do that.

I contacted Elite to reimburse the charge as it was obvious they simply lied about the their caliber of men they have amongst their clients, but Elite never even responded to my email.

Christine of Los Angeles CA (10/26/07)
In July 2006, I went into the offices of Elite Personal Search and had a 3 hour 'interview' with Devan. At that time, I wasn't sure if the service was right for me. I explained to Devan that I felt it would difficult to find a match for me among the members of Elite Personal Search/Debra Winkler.

Although I am a professional career woman, Devan assured me that I would 'easy to match', even though I have tattoos and dreadlocks (I work in a creative field, and wanted to meet someone who was a professional, but also 'eclectic') . She explained, 'we have all kinds of people as members. We have artists and musicians, even performers from Cirque De Soleil.'

I was hesitant about joining, when she assured me that if they did not have someone appropriate for me, that Elite Personal Search/Debra Winkler will go outside of its membership and 'troll the community' for a good match. She explained that she had met HER husband through Elite, and that once she started working there, she was able to fix up 2 of her girlfriends with men who were NOT members, but that she had met outside of work and thought they would be good matches. She told me that one of them was now married to the man Devan had fixed her up with.

I do not feel that I would have been comfortable paying the extraordinary amount of money membership cost if I had not been reassured that they would go outside of the membership to find a match for me.

Devan and I discussed the type of man who would be a good match for me. We set up a long list of parameters, which she assured me DID exist in many of their members. (the main thing we agreed I needed was someone who was 'hip' and up on modern technology, as I am a bit of a computer geek). When she told me that my $5000 fee would get me 8 matches in the next year, I was wary. I told her that I didn't feel like 8 was very many matches. At that point she said, 'But we will be doing all the research for you. By the time you meet a match, they will have all of the qualifications you are looking for. The only thing missing will be chemistry, and you WILL have chemistry with at least one of 8 men who exactly the type of match you are looking for.'

She noted that Elite also checks criminal records and paycheck stubs to make sure that members DO in fact make the amount of money they claim (although they never asked for any of that from me). Additionally, Devan assured me that she would work closely with the matchmaker and that the matchmaker would also work very closely with me by calling me frequently to discuss various matches. All of the above made me feel safe and comfortable and confident that Elite could help me find a match.

I was unable to join in July, so I had to put it off until December 2006. I did join in December of 2006. At that time, Elite set up a second interview with Jen Turner. Jen also said that she thought I would be easy to match and that the qualities, and other parameters I was looking for would not be difficult to find. She also assured me that Elite would go outside of their membership to find a match for me.

Since that time, I have had NO matches that 'have all the qualifications I am looking for'. Additionally, I have not met any men from outside of the membership. In fact, most of the matches I have been sent, were not at all the type of men that I would be interested in. Many of the matches have been misrepresented by Elite.

For example, I was sent a potential match who 'had his own business building zen gardens', he was actually a gardener for the public park systems!

I was sent a potential match who worked as a 'holistic therapist', he turned out to be a massage therapist!

I was VERY specific about the type of person I wanted to meet, as well as what type of job they should have (professional, like me!), how far I'd be willing to travel (I live within 10 miles of literally millions of people, yet they sent me matches that lived 50 miles away?!), and the fact that he should work at a standard job where he would normally have nights and weekends free (the massage therapist worked BOTH nights AND weekends!).

Neither Jen or Devan or anyone from the Elite office have ever 'worked closely' with me to find a match. In fact, I often don't hear anything for weeks and weeks, unless I email THEM.

I now feel that I was misled. It has been over 9 months since I joined and not ONE good match has been introduced to me. I sent a certified letter to Elite with all of the above information and demanded my fee be returned. I filed a complaint with the BBB (they have over 20 complaints and have earned an 'F' rating), but Elite did not respond to either me or the BBB. I feel that it is appropriate for Elite Personal Search/Debra Winkler to return my $5000 fee.

I have heard NOTHING! they have not responded to the BBB or to my certified letters. At this point, I am spending a lot of time adding to any internet sites I can find to get my experience out there! AND I would love to get my money back. I told Devin when I signed up that I was going to publish any results on the internet and she said, oh, I know you're going to have a good experience... we won't get any bad publicity from you... HA!

Michael of Las Vegas NV (07/14/07)
On June 22, I signed a dating services contract in Las Vegas Nevada with Elite Personal Search, a company headquatered in Los Angeles. The cost was $7,900 but then I got a discount of $500 the same day, so the cost is $7,4000. It was charged to my American Express.

The very next day, June 23, I cancelled the contract in writing by fax and by email with a scanned, hand-written signature. My cancellation was acknowledged on June 25. I was told the refund would be given within the next 10 business days.

On June 25, I called American Express asking what my options would be in the worst case scenario if the company stalled or refused to refund the money. I did not at that time ask for a refund. Unfortunately, customer service representative must not have understood me correctly and hastily filed a dispute.

When I found out about this, it was July 2nd, I cancelled the dispute, because I had not originally authorized it (in fact at the time I specifically said do not do anything! The company has 10 days to refund the money?)

The person who is in charge of customer money and refund issues is Louie. He promised a full refund in writing on June 25 and 26. On June 26, he wrote that my cancellation was finalized yesterday,? that would be June 25.

The next person I spoke to was David in Accounting, I spoke to him on Friday, June 29. He said that the refund was processed on Wednesday? June 27, and I would see it on my American Express on Monday or Tuesday (that is July 2nd or 3rd ).

On July 2nd, I called and emailed David in Accounting, once again. He returned my call at about 11:00 am the same date stating, We were going to give you a refund? but you filed this whole case against us with American Express? David said this was making the company look like the bad guy; that if I wanted fast refund I would have to cancel the case, but if I did not cancel the case, the refund would take 6 to 8 weeks.

I called American Express and spoke to Constantine and cancelled the case because the company was still legally entitled to additional time to give a refund. I even sent David in Accounting 2 (two) emails stating that I had never filed for a refund or chargeback with American Express, because it was too early to do so at that time, and that the dispute was filed contrary to my, at the time, expressed wish not to file.

I immediately called David and explained that a language barrier was likely the reason why American Expressed had prematurely filed a dispute. As soon as I notified him that the dispute was cancelled, David said most of our senior management is out for the week? because of the 4th of July holiday, but on Monday there will be a regular refund for sure,? and I will send you a confirmation. ...

I asked for a full refund. Since I initially paid $7,900 and then received discount of $500 on the same day, the balance I am asking for is $7,400.

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